Puppy
by sugar-high pixie
Summary: Mikan was just hoping to not make a fool of herself on her first day, she never expected that she would be 'adopted' as the dog of the most popular club in the school, or even fall in love. All because of a rainy day and a missing bunny
1. Rainy Days are Omens

Hi! Hello!

Yes, I'm very bad for starting another story, but I'm very excited about this one! I will be posting links, for the drawings I've done of my character, and her friends!

Please enjoy the story, and please realize I am not expert on the endings on japanese titles, and I have tried my best.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Except my OC's!

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It all started one rainy afternoon, when the winds howled and whined, an omen for some, a sign of something bad to others.

The Hitachiin brothers hated the rain, it was wet, it clinged to the clothes, and made their hair soggy. Not that they had to walk in the rain, ever. Yet, as they stepped from limo, holding the umbrella clinging to each other.

"We hate the rain." The muttered together starting the long trudge up to the school, each step becoming harder, slower, as they felt cling to the bottom of their pants.

"FREE SHOWER!" A Voice screamed dancing around in the rain, jumping in puddles all the way up a path sprinting past them.

"Mikan-chan your going to get all muddy." Her sister scolded as she walked behind her, holding an umbrella.

The brothers glanced, expecting to see a young girl and her old sister, but it was quite the opposite. The older sister seemed to be frolicking in the rain, laughing hysterically as she did it, while her sister walked behind shaking her head as if she was embarrassed to be associated with her.

"Mikan-chan, please!" Her sister seethed crossing her arms," Fine! Get wet! I'll see you after school."  
With that the younger girl turned and headed, to what was most likely the middle school.

"Okay, I love you Aya-chan!" The girl laughed waving good-bye, she jumped again splashing the puddle everywhere. They paused in front of her. She stopped and stared back. The rain continued to pour around them, but she simply stood there as if she was waiting for them to do something, even as her hair became soaked. They returned her gaze, when she suddenly yelled, "HA! You blink ten points for me! I'm Mikan by the way? Who are you?"

They walked past her ignoring the last question, through the doors, leaving her standing in the rain.

"Was it something I said?" She wondered aloud and shrugged running in through the double doors behind them. Fate would have it; after all it was a rainy day, and well rain boots don't always have the best traction on the floor.

Thunk! Boom! Crash! A jumble of arms and limbs was the result on the cold hard floor.

"Aya!" She moaned holding her head as she sat up. She was actually quite comfortable.

"Can you get off?" The twins growled, as she sat on top of them. She didn't hesitate as she pulled herself off them.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" She answered giving a small bow, "I'm very clumsy sometimes."  
They glared at her, as they stood up supporting each other, and left again without another word. She glanced down; a stuff bunny lay on the floor, "Hey wait you forgot your-"

But they were gone. She sighed, what a way to start school. Yet, she shrugged it off, heading off to her first class, except all the seats were full. She sat down in the back, shrugging off her rain coat, feeling a bit like a flamingo in a flock of peacocks.

The girl wore yellow dresses and nice black shoes, yet there she was in a mini skirt and tie, with her polka dotted rain boots. The bunny she shoved in her brief case, maybe she could find them later.

"Did Hunny give you his bunny?" A girl asked her as stepped in front her desk., a pack of whispers erupted, behind the girl at the very mention of the name.

"Uh, no, these twins happened to drop it this morning." Mikan said smoothly, "I was going to return it, but they ran off."

"The Hitachiin brothers!" a squeals erupted across the room, "So cute!"

'Oh? Who are they?" Mikan asked, recalling the two guys she had knocked down this morning.

The flamingo suddenly found herself surrounded by a flock of peacocks.

"You've never heard of them?" They asked her, "You poor thing. But you probably could never attend that club."

It had suddenly turned into a Q& A session, and it seemed blasphemous that she didn't know whom the Hitachiin brothers, or Hunny or even the host club.  
"Really? Do you have done something crazy to get in?" She asked curious.

The girls looked at each other and laughed, "Oh no no no. It costs-money." They finished in a whisper.

"Oh?" She asked raising an eye brow, "What makes you suspect that I lack a sufficient amount of cash?"

The girls blushed, "Well it's simply your clothes, most students wear the uniform, and-"

Mikan looked at her "uniform" ,"This I decided to put my own spin."

Well that was partly true, but one look at the yellow dress her eyeballs burned at the sight of it. Her sister was in love with her uniform, wore it for three days around the house. Of course it was a heck of a lot cuter , than the yellow dress. She'd be frolicking around if she got to wear a sailor top and skirt.

"It's very interesting." The girls agreed, trying their best to be polite. She returned their smiles, "I am Mikan. Who are you?"  
The girls glanced at each other, as if they needed a universal approval to say anything else.

"I'm Ria." A girl with brown hair smiled extending her hand, the others stayed silent. It reminded Mikan of being under surveillance.

"It is so nice to meet you Ria, are those real emeralds?" She asked pointing to the two small gems in the girl's ears. They giggled again. It seemed she had managed to pass some sort of test, because they sat right down and began gossiping and complaining about different classes and teachers.

They sure attach quickly at this school, Mikan noted, Not exactly a bad thing.

"You should never sit in the back." A girl called Momo warned, "It's social suicide. 2nd row from the back is okay, back, back, and you might as well bury yourself in a hole. Now, the popular girls, you can tell, because of the matching necklaces they wear the hearts with the arrows through them, they usually have first pick of any guys. They go for the you known the sports guys. Now the most popular are the host club, but they don't go out with anybody. Many girls have tired and all got their hearts broken, but everybody learned long ago they go out with anyone, it's part of their rules."

"So what do you do at this host club?" Mikan questioned enthralled at the social structure of her new High School.

"Well you designate a host, and they entertain you." Ria answered with a smile, "There are a six different types, cool, prince, wild card, little devils, natural and Loli-Shota." Momo went on excitedly, "The little devils are the hitachiin brothers, they are so cute!"

"Not to mention honey." Ari reminded her, clasping her hands to her chest.

Mikan resisted the strong urge to laugh, "Wow. We never had a club like this at my old school. It sounds delightful."

Wow that sounded lame, she thought to herself, but the girls didn't seem to mind.

"You need to come with us." Yui gushed, she had long blonde curls that seemed to bounce every time she moved her head, "I'm sure honey-sempai will be missing his bunny."  
The other nodded in agreement, "He always has his bunny. I wonder why they had it?" Momo said flabbergasted, "Maybe they stole it from him."

'Momo!" Yui scolded, "They would never do something so horrible. Tamaki-sempia would not have allowed it."

They all flushed that time at the mere mention of his name. "Who?' Mikan asked

They looked at her in a dead pan silence, "YOU"VE NEVER HEARD OF TAMAKI SEMPIA!"

Mikan felt herself fall over from the force of their combined voices, "No, I just started you see-"

"THAN IT IS REQURIED THAT YOU COME WITH US!" They yelled happily," You'll love it!"

Momo yanked out a series of magazines, "These cover all the host members."

Mikan took one look and realized she must have fallen in another dimension as she simply scanned through. Daily routines, photographs, costumes-she twitched, over loaded on all of it.

O to the m to the g, what have I just agreed to, she thought to herself, They entertain these girls everyday! How to they survive being that gorgeous and still abscond from dating!

The only guys she had ever known, well they weren't this. She fingered her pink hair, and they would defiantly not go for this, not that I'm going spend my money on something so filvrious.

'Oh I wonder if they'll be in cosplay today." Ria gushed as Yui nodded excitedly next to her, "I love it when they dress up!"

At least I know why they're melting on the floor, Mikan smiled as she flipped to a page of where they were dressed in traditional kimonos.

The bell rang, "Come on Mikan-kun!" Momo smiled yanking her hand, "You just stick with us today."

Yui and Ria nodded in agreement, she simply had to stay with them.

Mikan smiled and welcomed the invitation, but felt so alienated as they talked about their vacations, who they had dated, that all she could manage was thrown in the occasional comment. The girls were even happier though at her silence, as if they felt they could simply gush out all their gossip on her.

I'll know everybody and their sister, by the end of the day, She smiled to herself as she walked to the next class. She saw the twins a few more times that day, her, well she assumed, her friends giggled every time they caught her looking.

"Silly Mikan." Yui giggled pulling her along, as she had tried to go after them.

Momo and Rai simply smiled at each other, talking in whispers, though not bothering to include her or Yui.

She had even bothered to get on a table waving the bunny after them, but they had turned the corner before she could yell. She smacked her hand against her face, "Aya! I can't win today."

She really didn't want to go to the host club. It seemed they flattered over you or each other, and she was dragging her feet when the dreaded hour came, when they began the long trek to the third music room.

"Mikan don't be shy." Rai smiled," The twins will be there also."

Yui and Momo giggled, forcing them at a faster pace.

"Just get in, Return honey's rabbit and leave." She told herself, as she walked behind the three other girls who giggled again anticipation,"Jeez you think they got high off of doing this."

Meanwhile…

"You two lost Honey's bunny?" Tamaki seethed, "That is his bunny. That is worse than the time you spilled tea!"

They shuddered at the memory of an angry Honey.

"It's not our fault, M'lord." The twins shrugged, "We we're in a hurry this morning."

"A hurry that you lost his bunny!" Tamaki yelled again, "What were you thinking! We need to send a special team, search your homes! We need to find that bunny!"

"I think you're over reacting again." Haruhi commented, "Remember last time Mori, said that the bunny really wanted tea."

The twins suddenly where hit with a bolt of inspiration, "AHH! HARUHI! THAT IS WHY WE LOVE YOU!"

"Where is my bunny?" Hunny asked as he stepped into the third music room, Mori close behind.

The twins glanced at each other, "He wanted to go get you some cake." They waited, but Hunny simply smiled, "CAKE? Yeah! Cake! Do you think what kind of cake he knew to get me Mori?"

Mori simply nodded, and Hunny smiled.

Tamaki sighed another crisis averted. There was suddenly a great rush of foot steps, "QUICK ASSUME THE POSISTION!"

"Welcome!" They greeted, as host of girls rushed in leaving a pile of dust behind them.

"Hunny! Is it true your bunny is missing?" a host of girls simply fawned over him. Hunny stared back suddenly breaking into tears, "Missing-Missing-I thought he was just getting me some cake."  
"Oh Hunny!" They crooned, "I'm sure that's the reason. Please don't cry."

He reduced it to sniffles, laughing, "Really? Yeah! I would be really upset if my bunny ever went missing."

The twins caught his glance, turning pale. "We really should find his bunny!" Hikaru commented, Kaoru nodded,.

"But where would it be. We had it up to this morning-"

They looked at each other, the rain puddle girl. "She must have taken it mistaken it for another stuff animal. OR maybe she plans to sell auction it off to the girls at school, they would go crazy over a item like that." They muttered in unison pacing back and forth.

"Ah-"a girl asked, she was standing outside the door, holding in her hand, a pink, brown eyed bunny,

"Came to return the bunny, you stole?" They asked circling her, as she was forced to back in the room.

"That was hunny's bunny." They continued, "That wasn't very nice."

Everybody was staring at the newcomer, a host of whispers. Hunny stood in the back glaring, "She stole my bunny?"

"You sick person! Stealing such an innocents bunny!" Tamaki now joined in from behind.

"Sick! Very wrong!" The twins continued to mock.

The girl only became more flustered turning a deep shade of red and spinning in circles, "I only came to return his bunny after you dropped it this morning! " She pointed an accusing finger at the twins as she began to cry, "Here!" She throwing it on the ground and running out the doors.

Everybody stared, at the three in the middle as a collective gasp filled the air.

"You left it?" Tamaki yelled glaring at the twins, "YOU ACCUSED A YOUNG PRINCESS OF A CRIME SHE DIDN"T COMMIT! This is the worst thing you've ever done! This is worst than the time you threw tea cups into the pond to see if they floated!"

"You joined in to, M'lord." The twins commented

Tamaki twitched, going to his corner of woe and cultivating mushrooms.

"Aww Tamaki. It is okay, we know you we're simply trying to defend Hunny!" The girls crooned as he continued to pick at the floor.

"She came to give me back my bunny." Hunny asked, picking it up off the floor, "After you left it ?"

The twins twitched at Hunny's glare,

"We'll go find her and apologize for our actions." They answered quickly exiting.

The room erupted into a pile of sequels and giggles as they were either comforting Hunny or Tamaki, or gossiping about the twins.  
"Maybe she liked them." Momo commented as she sipped tea, "She could have been pretending to ignorant about the club."

Ria and Yui gasped, "Momo! She just transferred here, it must be hard for her. "

Yet the conversation had now turned to weather, Mikan the mysterious new transfer student, really had secret feelings for the brothers.  
"But they would never be return them! That would tear them apart" Yui pointed out. The girls squealed at the idea, "A love triangle between two brothers and a shy girl! How romantic! Fighting between their emotions for each other and her!"

"Kya!" Momo yelled turning red at the idea,' How dramatic."

"Really" Haruhi commented to herself, "The things these girls come up with."

But she stole a glance at Kyoya he had that certain glint in his eyes, that suggested the evil shadow lord had just formed an idea. Haruhi shuddered at it.

"It's like two princes fighting over the same girl, who happens to be a commoner!" Momo added, "I mean I know she implied that she had money, but who doesn't wear the uniform, unless you can't afford it ."

"Kya! How even more dramatic! And their love is forbidden, not only because they fight for their own feelings and for hers, but she is of a lower status!" Ria continued

"Do you happen to know this girl personally?" Kyoya asked as he stepped beside the couch, flashing a smile pad in hand.

They looked at each other, "Well we just met her today. She said her name was Mikan, " Ria offered, "She wasn't wearing the uniform-"

"Because she said that it was due to the fact that she had put her own twist on it." Momo continued

"And she said she didn't know anything about the host club." Yui finished, "I hope they managed to find her. She looks like her feelings were really hurt."

"No worry of that." Kyoya assured them, "I'm sure they have managed to find her and given an apology for their rash actions. A few times their tricks go a little to far."

The girls all smiled in agreement, nodding their heads, returning to the gossip.

………..

"What do you think Haruhi?" A costumer wishpered, "Do think she likes them?  
"Uh, I'm not really sure." Haruhi shrugged, "I only heard most of the fight, and I don't know her personally."

The girls smiled at her response discussing among them, about if they were in love and all the other cute guys that happened to be in their grade.

"Do you think I should apologize to?" Hunny asked the girls seated around him over hearing the gossip that was going on at the other tables.

"Oh no Hunny." They answered, "It's all the twins fault. They were the ones to make her cry. You just wanted your bunny back."

"Yeah that's true. " He smiled, "Would you like some more cake?"

Tamaki wasn't faring so well, "I yelled at her. I was apart of it."  
"Oh no! Tamaki!" The girls crooned, but they secretly thought he looked so beautiful in his sad pose. His face contorted in anticipation and worry.

"I suppose your right, princesses. Your kind words are a ray of sunlight on this gloomy day." He smiled, as they yelled, "Kya!" swooning.

……

Outside the rain continued to pour. And if there were one thing the Hitachiin brothers hated was rain. They got wet in the rain.

And it wasn't that they meant to make her cry, or expect that reaction from everybody in the club. Now they were sprinting across the expansive campus in search of a girl who they didn't even know the name of.

"Where do you think she went?" Hiraku asked, after searching the entire upstairs, even one of the bathrooms for five seconds.

Kaoru shrugged, "If you were a girl where would you go to cry."

"Outside." Hiraku snapped his fingers, "You know, to hide you tears and shame of being weak."  
"Very true!" Karou agreed throwing an arm around his brother, "Let us go find her and make amends, so we can return in good favor."

Hiraku looked at his twin, "You need to stop reading all those old English plays." He sighed shaking his head.

But she wasn't outside either, though they even stopped by the middle school, to see if her sister was there.

"What do we do?" They asked each other, "M'lord will be upset. And we can't lie."

They looked at each other again, "We'll just have to confront her tomorrow."

The rain continued to pour though, perhaps they should have seen it as an omen.

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Ha? Did you like? Then let me know by clicking the button in the center or to the left!


	2. Gossip is a Wild Fire

Pictures will not be posted until fourth or fifth chapter, sorry, but it wil give to much away.

disclaimer: still don't own host club

thank you to anyone who reviewed or added me to their fav's or alerts! UR THE BEST!

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Gossip is Wild Fire

The host club was perhaps the most popular and well-known club in the school. It was also the most talked about, wild rumors popped up around every corner, from Tamaki was going to cancel the club due to hunny's excessive cake eating, to the twins were going to get married. Everybody knew they weren't true, but still they grew, and grew.

The flavor of the week: The New Girl, all the customers who had been their witness that event had resulted in a constant buzz of whispers. Those who had come after, quickly discovered a somewhat altered if not almost true version of the story.

"They really made her cry for hours on end?" Someone was asking. Momo rolled her eyes as she, Ria and Yui sat in western history. The teacher had given up using the last ten minutes of class to teach anything relevant.

"Can you believe the things their saying?" Momo asked

"No, but we weren't really any better were we?" Ria asked

"Yeah, the things we said yesterday, that maybe she was poor." Yui finished in a whisper, "I think she was simply nervous. She was sitting in the back all by herself yesterday."

"If we hadn't come along it would have spelled her doom." Ria agreed, "It's not like we were being bad friends or anything. It's okay if everyone's talking about it."  
"And it's not like we're spreading rumors." Momo finished, "We just told the truth of what we saw. I was walking into school today and you'll never believe it. Hunny was waiting outside with Mori, by the front doors with his bunny. He had the cutest umbrella!"

"Oh we know. We saw as we passed by, the one with pink bunnies." Ria laughed, "He seemed a little worried."

"I wonder what he was standing outside in the rain for?" Yui asked, "I saw Hariku and Karou doing the same thing only at a back entrance, where the path splits to the middle school."

Momo and Ria stared at each other, "They we're waiting for her!"

"WHO?"

"The new girl." Ria exclaimed it's so obvious, "Hunny and Mori, the twins. How sweet! That means they didn't apologize yesterday. Or maybe they did and she was still mad. She isn't at school today!"

The newcomer clapped her hands, running away to spread the new tidbit, from the girls who had actually met the new girl.

"Maybe we should start calling her by her first name." Momo said guilt lining her voice, "Do you remember what it was?"

"Oh I think it was-Mikan." Yui exclaimed, "Yeah! I remembered her name."

"Good job." Ria answered rolling her eyes, "We'll have to remember that. Why do you think she didn't come to school today?"

"Maybe she really did like them." Momo answered, "Like love at true sight, yet she was unable to expresser her feelings-"

"No they probably rejected her." Rai interrupted, 'And her heart was broken, and she's crying in her pillow."

"Maybe she ran home before they could apologize, and decided to run away to avoid further humiliation!" Yui gasped, "Oh that poor commoner, out in the big world all alone with no one to care for her!"

"Yui! We don't know if she's poor." Rai scolded, "But you have to admit it does seem suspicious. I mean if you have the money, why wouldn't you want to wear these fabulous yellow dresses."

"Maybe her mother's a fashion designer. And won't allow her to wear anything that she doesn't design." Momo commented

Yui gasped, "Really? I hope she'll give me some clothes! I wonder which designer her mom is?"

"Yet Mikan doesn't really seem like the fashion type. What's with the pink hair anyways?" Ria asked feathering her own brown locks, that she had pulled back today, fingering the jewel encrusted butterfly pin, "I think I would die if my hair was that color."

"Maybe she has a really bad coloring job." Momo answered, "Remember when Nabiki wanted to giver her hair natural highlights and tried to red with her honey blonde."  
"Oh and turned that horrible shade of burnt orange." Ria gasped," I would dye my hair pink as well if it turned out that way."

"Maybe she likes the color pink." Yui told them, "I don't think it looks bad on her at all."

The girls again looked down in shame, they we're gossiping about a girl who could have easily just had her entire world shattered.

"We should visit her!" Momo announced pointing her finger in the air, "We shall miss out on our favorite extracurricular activates to comfort our friend.

Yui clapped, "Oh I've never been to a commoners house."

"Yui!" Ria whispered, " Must I remind you again, you cannot simply assume these things, her mother could quite possibly be a fashion designer."

"Free clothes!" Yui pumped her arms in the air, "I cannot wait to visit. We should bring something to make her feel better."

"What do you think Mikan would like?" Momo pondered aloud, "I always love it when I'm aloud to pick first out of the latest dress, maybe we should get her a dress in her favorite colors."

"But we don't know what her favorite color is?" Ria sighed, "We only met her yesterday. I love it when I visit my family's private hot springs! It helps soothe any woes I' ve had."

The two looked at Yui who seemed to be in deep thought, "I GOT IT!" She paused dramatically," A puppy!'

"AWWW! Yui that so cute! And perfect! Who doesn't like puppies." The two girls sighed, "But what kind of puppy?"

"Well, Mikan has crazy hair right, so right not a Papillion? They have the cutest ears. And it would be easy to take care of right, I heard it was a huge rage in America for the wealthy to carry their dogs in their purses."

"Oh I heard about that." Rai answered, "A Papillion would defiantly suit her!"

"I'll get my mother to pick one up, she was going shopping today anyways." Momo smiled, as she texted away on her phone, "Oh we can put a big pink bow, and in a box!"

"Do we know where she lives?" Yui asked," How do we find her address. Maybe we have to hack into the school's files to get it, do we even know her last name?"

"Oh yeah." Rai sighed, "Wait we can easily find that out, we have people!"

"Oh right." Yui sighed happily, "Your such a genius Rai."  
"Well I try." Rai smiled, pulling out her own phone, "Got it. We'll have the limo drop us by today after school. It seems live in a pretty obscure area."

/Yui's inner mind theater/

A small shack in the middle of the woods, with the roof half fallen in and rats running around the outside. A girl in a checked skirt and a ragged apron appears, her pink hair dirty, "Hi guys! Sorry the place is a bit of a mess."

She looks at the puppy, "Oh you brought dinner."  
/End theater/

"Yui? Yui?" Momo waved her hand in front of her face, "Hello? What do you think we should name the dog?"

"DINNER!" She yelled. Rai and Momo simply exchanged a look, "Right Yui!" Rai patted her shoulder, "How about something cuter, like Cho? Papillion are known for their butterfly ears aren't they? It's like perfect."

"So cute." Momo agreed," It's settled, we shall enact operation cheer up Mikan!"

"Yeah!" Rai and Yui shouted in unison.

…………..

"Wow!" the three stood outside a huge wrought iron gate, "That's a big house."

The puppy yipped inside the box, scratching at the sides, Yui gripped the box tighter.

"Come on, we need to give Mikan her present." Rai gulped stepping forward. The house seemed to be on a tilt, with crooked windows and a slanted roof. It reminded her of all the old Victorian houses she had seen in England, but this one was made of brick and stone, with a large porch.

"Oh wow look at this door knob." Momo said in awe, "it's in the shape of a-?"

"Parrot!" Yui yelled, "How cute-Come on lets go in." She threw the doors open, forgetting her manners for the moment. "Mikan-kan! Are you home?"

It was pitch black until the lights flashed on as a shadow appeared from the depths of the ceiling, almost floating down.

"Can I help you?" it asked  
"Kya!" Yui screamed, running back out the door to her friends.

"Please excuse her, -"Momo paused pulling out her phone and flipping through for a few moments "Ms. Tanaka."  
"Ms?" The woman asked laughing, "Am I really that old?"

She was tall, like a model in a pair of loose fitting pants and a tang top, Do I look like my mother? No I'm Kagame. happens to be my mother, what can I help you with?"

"Well, I am Momo." Momo introduced herself stepping into the spotlight, as Ria and Yui huddled behind each other, "We were looking for Mikan."

"Oh right, she's off attending school. I'm sorry, but she's not home at the moment. She had an accident and is in the hospital receiving treatment for her injuries." She explained quickly, "If that's all-"

"But-" Momo asked, but Kagame had some how floated up again, as if she didn't even realize the three of them were still waiting, and disappeared into the darkness of the ceiling as the lights shut off.

The three looked at each other, "O to-"

"To the M-"

"To the G' Yui finished, "I have to tell Tenten and Renge and Hinata." As she fished out her cell phone her fingers flying as she typed away at the keys.

"Same here.' Rai and momo answered pulling out their own phones, "This is serious."

The puppy continued to knock around in its box, as they picked him back up and returned to the limo.

'We'll have to give it to her tomorrow." Yui said, as she held the box on her lap, "Poor Cho. He'll have to wait another day to meet his new master."

"Yeah, poor Mikan-kun. I wonder what happened?" Rai said concerned, she glanced at Momo.

"Oh yeah." Momo agreed, "But talk about a strange house-"

All three nodded as they let everybody know about their latest adventure with the new girl, ahem Mikan.

…………….

"You hurt her feelings so much, that she hurt herself?" Tamaki yelled as he read the five text messages on his phone, "How could you do such a thing?"

The twins sighed, "Milord these are rumors started by the girls. You should not take such things seriously."

"Oh I hope she's alright." Hunny cried as he held his bunny, "That's why she probably why she didn't come to school today."  
Mori gave his shoulder a tight squeeze, "She is alright."

Hunny smiled, "Okay. We should do something nice for her when she comes back."

Tamaki stopped in mid rant "Hunny-chan you are most amazing! And what do women love most?"

"Chocolate and cake!" Hunny answered

"Money and clothes." The twins yelled

"None of those-"Tamaki raised his finger, "They love to be flattered, pampered-"

"Are you sure?' Huruhi asked," You may just up making it worse."

Tamaki turned pale right running into his corner of woe, cultivating mushrooms. Everybody simply ignored him, used to his antics long ago.

"What do you think Huruhi?" Honey asked," You are a girl after all."  
"Well when my mother was in the hospital we used to bring her flowers on occasion. She would smile, and tell me they reminded her of all the happy things. Summer, the beach, the park where she would sometimes take me when I was very little."

"Aww Huruhi! That is so cute!" Tamaki yelled, snapped out of his corner of woe, "Your commoner wisdom has once again been shown."

Huruhi struggled as she attempted to get out of his death grip.

"Milord, you are making her unable to breathe." The twins yelled snagging her back.

"It's settled we shall give her flowers. When she steps through the door you two shall hand her a bouquet. She'll be so touched by your kindness, that forget any ill feelings."

"I hope so-"Kyoya commented, "You do realize what this could do to our clubs image, it would mean a lost of costumers. And that would not fare well for anyone of you." His glasses glinted, as everybody ran for cover at his evil shadow lord look.

"Can I give her flowers as well?" Hunny asked after they had fled far enough away for Kyoya's death glare.

"Of course." Tamaki answered, "I can see it now. She'll have the one bouquet and be again over whelmed with feelings of pure joy!"

"Excellent." Kyoya smirked.

He knows something, Huruhi noted, That he's keeping from the rest of them.

The day the evil shadow king reviled something before he was ready was the day when Hunny got sick of cake.

Never.

So she kept it to herself, though Tamaki was on another rant after reading the latest text he had received, "She lives in a hunted house in the middle of the woods, with an evil sister who feeds her nothing but old cheese. This poor princess!"

Huruhi sighed, Here we go again.

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Did you enjoy? Quite a twist no?LOL


	3. Why Missing School is Never Good

Author's Note: Hello! I am back! Did you miss me? I discovered something, I don't have writers block, I'm just lazy! Huzzah! I figured out the reason I haven't updated, go me.

Disclaimer: Contains cuteness! And host club being the host club. Oh and I tried to own them, but then I got sued and a restraining order so I had to give up. *holds beth plushie

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Chapter 3 Why missing school is never a good thing

Mikan Tanaka had not been having the best of days. First day she had made an idiot of herself, by breaking down in front of everybody. She didn't even get to her 2nd day, because she managed to fall down the stairs running from the bathroom, thus spraining her leg. So now she felt like a bigger idiot, a flamingo with one leg, hoping that everyone had forgotten the previous day.

Her younger sister however, was in love with her whole class, joining three different clubs, texting until the late hours, with all her friends.

She also had to talk to her own friends, they had been "scared for their lives" yesterday as her older sister so eloquently put it, when they had visited asking for her. I have to go explain about my leg, she sighed, hopefully there be the only ones to ask everybody else will just gawk.

"Good morning!" A chorus of girls greeted her as soon as she walked through the double doors. She was stuck drowning in a sea of yellow , where total strangers asked about her love life, "Did they turn you down?", her emotional stability, "Did you throw yourself out a window, because you heart was unable to bear the pain?", and most of all, "Can we help you carry anything?"

She could hardly breathe much less move, and the cast was not making it any easier. "Actually I was just looking for my friends, Momo, Yui, and Ria. Have you seen them?"

The flock of yellow peacocks didn't bother to answer her latest question, it had now switched to her home life, "Does your older sister really keep you in the basement where your only allowed to eat moldy cheese while she feasts on the finest steak and chicken and pheasant dishes?"

These people are insane, Mikan decided. There was only thing left to do.

She ducked her head to the ground, covering it with arms.

"What's wrong?" They asked again, "Did we say something wrong? Mikan-kun please answers us!"

They poked her, "Hello?"

My ostrich technique is not working, she thought desperately standing back up. The questions started with her.

"Are you okay Mikan-kun?" someone asked "Here I got you a glass of water!" another crooned

"Ahh! Someone help!" She finally yelled over their voices, waving her hands. She was quite suddenly lifted up over the girl's heads, thrown over a shoulder and spirited away.

Okay not what I was expecting, but it will do, Minka pondered to herself, At least I won't die of death by yellow. The group was screaming Kya! At the top of their lungs, it could only be said to equal that of a banshees.

She realized she was in front her first class, as her savior gently set her down. She craned her neck to look at him, "Ah thank you." She smiled, He was ginormus! No wonder he could run that fast, even with her cast on.

He handed her a bouquet of pink roses and white lilies, before walking away.

"Kya! Mikan-kun you're so lucky!"

Oh great. She turned it was Momo, "Hey Momo, Rai , Yui." Noticing that they were standing behind the half opened door.

'Let me see your flowers!" Rai smiled grabbing the bouquet, "Aww so pretty. Look there's even a card."  
"Thank you for returning my bunny." Yui read, "From HUNNY! KYA!"

"Girls!" Momo gestured her head inside the classroom.

"Huh?" They asked, "Oh right!" They ducked back in leaving Mikan standing in the door way, before they reappeared with a box that had air holes.

"Oh my god." Mikan whispered taking it into her arms. It moved. "Uh what is it?"

"Open it up." Yui smiled, "We figured you must be pretty down in the dumps since yesterday-"  
"So we got you this-" Rai continued

"Puppy! WE named him Cho, it mean's butterfly!" Momo finished, throwing up her arms, "Don't you love it."

They really go all out at this school, Mikan thought to herself as she now held the tiny puppy in her hands, "AWWWW! I love it. I'll just have to keep in my-"

She had left her bag. In a sea of yellow peacocks. She was doomed.

"I have to go get my bag." She muttered shaking her hand.

"You mean this?"

She turned, a blonde was smiling his head cocked to the side as he held her brief case.

"Tamaki!" The three girls whispered behind her, ducking back into the classroom as they peeked out.

"Ah yes." Mikan laughed, "Thank you so much. I just left it."  
"Who gave you the puppy?" He asked looking at the tiny dog tucked under arm.

"Uh my friends-"She started

"AHHH! FLOWERS ARE NOT GOOD ENOGUH! I HAVE BEEN OUT DONE ALREADY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" He yelled running in circles, "I WILL NOT BE OUT DONE! I MUST COME UP WITH SOMETHING TWICE AS GOOD! DO NOT WORRY PRINCESS, I WILL REPAY MY EVIL DEED!"

"But-But!" Mikan started reaching after him, but he had already sprinted away down the halls. She felt her eye began to twitch again. The puppy whined.

'What am I going to do Cho?" She asked holding it in front of her. The puppy only smiled and wagged its tail .

"Arf!" It said

"Right." Mikan sighed, "Where to put you. "

…….

"Mikan-kun? Why are you carrying around that extra bag?" Momo asked as she came back in, "And what did Tamaki say?"  
You should know, you probably heard the whole thing. Mikan laughed to herself, "Oh he was screaming about how flowers were not good enough."

The puppy had to go back in its box, but it seemed content for the moment, which she was grateful.

"Yes what did Tamaki say." Rai and Yui asked, as the whole room grew silent.

"Oh he just said he could do better than flowers." She answered taking a seat, but quicky stood up as there were another two bouquets on her chair.

'Those are from the Hitachiin brothers." Yui explained, "They dropped them off this morning."

"So lucky." Rai sighed again , "They even wrote a card each apologizing."

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. Mikan repeated over and over to herself , "How nice of them."

Great where to put them, she wondered. She lifted Cho out for minute , placing the bouquets in that now filled her entire bag. Now she had no where to the puppy except for inside her shirt, or in the crate.

"Mikan! Did you bring a pet to school?"

Mikan turned around, her heart beating quickly, "Uh, it was a gift sensei."

"Maybe you can explain your gift to the headmaster." The teacher retorted, "Please report to his office."

Mikan felt her heart dropped five levels.

"You should also take your bags."

"Hye!" Mikan answered grabbing the bouquets and slinging it on her shoulder, as she grabbed her brief case, the puppy in her hand.

"We'll carry your things." Momo volunteered, "You're injured after all."  
"Hye!' Rai and Yui agreed, snatching the note and shutting the class room door behind them.

"Omg, Mikan." Yui gushed, "Sensei Oro is so scary. It's said he hates dogs. Oh let me take you bouquets."

"I thinks it's because you guys brought a live animal into school. That's not usually accepted." Mikan answered

"I'll carry your bag." Rai told her, grabbing the brief case, "We're out of class, how nice."

"Thanks for coming with me." Mikan told them, "This whole day has just been overwhelming."  
Momo nodded, "It's okay. This is why you should attend host club more often."

/Yui inner mind theater /

"She's ours!" The twins yelled, grabbing onto Mikan's legs.

"No she's mine!' Tamaki yelled grabbing an arm.

"Mine!" Hunny yelled grabbing her other arm.

They pulled until she burst into a million pieces of confetti.

/end/

"NO!" Yui yelled, "I don't want you to burst into a million pieces of confetti."

"Right, sweetie." Rai patter her friends shoulder, "You know the headmaster's son is Tamaki."

Momo sighed again, "You are so lucky."

"Lucky?" Mikan asked, "How am I lucky? I'm in trouble! For having a live animal in school! "

"We'll support you." They cried together, as Mikan could only shake her head, this was not her day.

….

"The headmaster will see you know." The secretary announced. Mikan had almost begun to shake as she waited. The other three had sat and chatted as if they were at a Sunday brunch eating tea and crumpets, texting away on their phones. She glanced to see what they we're talking about.

"Mikan is about to be horribly punished possible expelled by the headmaster, all due the fact that her caring friends brought her a puppy to cheer her up, after the host club mangaged to make her break down, and throw herself down a flight of stairs due to her emotional distress." She read aloud as Yui continued to type away "That's not even-"

"The headmaster is waiting." The secetary reminded her, Mikan took one last glance at her friends, before she pushed open the oak door, Cho in hand.

As she entered his ornate office, she saw that he was an older man, sitting behind a large marble desk, his face hidden in the shadows, his hand steepled.

"So this is what has been causing so much commotion?" The head master commented. Mikan simply stood their, feeling again like an idiot,. Not sure if she should sit or stand as the heavy wood door closed behind her.

"May I see?" He asked her, as she took a few steps forward, arms out stretched offering Cho. THe headmaster gently took the puppy, scratching it behind it's ears.

"How cute." He commented

Mikan blinked, "His names Cho."  
"Aww so cute! Who's a cute puppy!" He had begun to make goo noises as Cho let out a few yips and licked his face.  
Mikan continued to stare, was this man really the headmaster?

He was cradling the puppy in his arms, making goo noises, "Who's cute? Who's cute?"

Cho yipped again, wagging his tail.

"A fine specimen. "The headmaster handed back the puppy, "Please sit. "

Mikan felt the floor, she missed the chair by a mile.

"Ompf!" She pulled herself back up, waiting for him to say something.

"Mikan Tanaka. Sophomore transfer student. Partial scholarship granted due to dance. You have much talent they tell me. "

Mikan nodded her head and smiled.

"You have a very bright future ahead of you if manage to keep on the right path, study hard, and follow your dreams."

Mikan released her breath, "Hye."

"Now, as far as your punishment-" He began, but paused, as there was a chorus of voices outside. Mikan realized her friends were screaming, "KYA!" as only they do when their around a host club member or members. Yui was screaming about how the white knight had come!

A few seconds later an out of breath Tamaki Souh landed on the floor gasping for air. He hit a bowing almost worshipping pose on the ground as he cried, "Please father have mercy! It was not her fault! It is mine and the twins! We take all the blame, we accidently caused her much distress and have been trying to cheer her up!"

Father? MIkan wondered looking at the bowing blonde on the floor, and the grey haired man behind the desk.

"Tamaki-" The headmaster sighed, "What have I told you about interrupting your peers. " He turned to her Mikan, "Your are free to go."

Mikan bowed low carrying Cho with her, as a very sad Tamaki floated behind her, pale as a ghost.

"Tamaki-sempi." Mikan began, placing a hand on his shoulder when they had entered the waiting room, "Thank you for coming to my support. I really appeciate it!"

He stared at her, as a certain awe hit his eyes "The princess has forgiven me! The princess has forgiven me! You are to kind! And sweet! And lovely!" He yelled as he grabbed her in a tight embrace spinning around and around.

'Please stop!" She yelled" You're crushing my puppy!"

HE halted immeadiltaly, "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me again."

"I've already forgiven you." Mikan answered, as she began to open the office door, only to be met by the twins she had run over two days before.

"That's suprising. 'They commented as they forced her back in to the office which was now becoming slightly cramped, "Considering Milord is a moron!"

"Who are you calling a Moron?" Tamaki asked

"You. 'They shrugged

Mikan, now realizing that she could slip away unnoticed, praticially had to drag her friends away from the spectecle.

"They're arguging." Momo fanned herself,"How beautiful and exciting!"

Rai and Yui only nodded to overcome for words.

Mikan rolled her eyes, trying hard not to laugh at her friends comments, she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned all three of the boys were staring at her.

"Why'd you leave?' They asked

"You seemed busy." Mikan answered, "And I have to get back to class."  
"We're walk you to class." The twins told her, shoving Tamaki to the ground, "Your class is the oppiste way Milord."

"But-but-but" Tamaki started

"Haruhi will be wondering where we are? We were going to meet her, but since your closer-" They didn't finish their sentence as Tamaki sprinted away leaving a trail of dust.

"Wow. Is he on the track team?" Mikan aksed as they began to walk again. Her friends had run off with her things.

The twins laughed, as if they thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

"We're the Hitachiin brothers." They told her.  
"I'm Karou-"

"I'm Hariku-"

"Yes I remember." She answered, "Thank you for the flowers."

"We are sorry we made you cry." The told her, as they walked on either side, 'But we didn't you would be that emotionally distressed over it?"

Mikan felt herself turn beat red as she covered her eyes, Cho yipped from the pressue, and she lowered her hands, "I over reacted. I can get really flustered sometimes, but to be fair you guys didn't give me a fair chance. You should know that a persons first reaction when they get back into a corner is to retaliate,."

"Oh rabid dog!" They laughed

"Hariku, Karou? We're have you been?" A shorter guy called striding up to them, "I've been carrying you bags around for the last fifteen minutes."

"Aww, Haruhi is so sweet." They smiled as they went to meet their friend.  
"It was nice to meet you." MIkan smiled as she limped by them. They were to involved teasing Haruhi to notice her sudden abscene.

"What was it like?" Momo asked as she came running up, "Tell us all about it."  
MIkan took one last glance at the brothers, "Not much to tell."

The three girls, looked at each other and giggled, but didn't press the matter further.

'Come on Mikan. If we don't hurry we won't get a seat." Rai warned.

"I'm coming." Mikan answered as she limped behind, "it's hard to move in this cast."

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Authors Note: I have more, I'm just hoarding it. Now be good lil readers and leave me something that will make me happy, a review, or adding it to your fav's!


	4. Lunch with the Host Club?

OMG! I never expected so many peeps so be liking this story =D * does happy dance! Thank you to all who faved or put on your alerts! Maybe trying to write review now? All those who are new, a review is nice, or thy is to lazy a fav or alert is nice as well.

Hmm..Please be enjoying this chapter! I edited and re edited and put it through several reader tests before posting. And picture links will begin to appear in the next chapter, my pictures reveal to much sometimes about what's going to happen, thanx for understanding

Disclaimer: Contains scenes of plotting! And there is no way in this life time that I own anything of this manga, except for Mikan, Yui, Rai, and Momo, and Cho.

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Chapter Four

At Ouran High school everything was beautiful, even the cafeteria. The floor was made a of imported Italian marble that shone until everybody's reflection stared back at them, the table were made of Mahanoy and oak that stretched wall to wall with foods that were gourmet every day cooked from fresh supplies and top chefs.

"Oh you bring a lunch?" Momo asked as she stared at the paper bag in Mikan's hands.

"Well I love the things my sister cooks, so she packs me thing s I love." Mikan smiled

"That's so cool." Ria agreed, "Our chef usually prepares most of the meals."

"You mean, your older sister cooks for you Mikan?" Yui asked

"Yeah." Mikan nodded

**/Yui inner mind theater/**

A bubbling pot is sat over a wood stove as an old hags bends over. She suddenly changes into a beautiful woman, pouring a scoop of the mixture into a bowl. The soup is a green color with large bugs and moldy bread.

"Sister." She calls, "Dinner is served. I will pack you some bugs for you lunch tomorrow."

Mikan crawls in bowing at her feet, "Thank you kind sister. Thank you. I haven't had bugs in a long time."

**/end/**

"You don't have to eat bugs!" Yui yelled throwing MIkan in a tight embrace, "I will buy you lunch."

"YUI!" Ria hissed pulling her away, "Are you trying to insult her? Stop it."

Yui hung her head, "I just want her to have a good meal."

Ria sighed, "Come on."

Mikan followed behind with Momo, but the three girls were distressed when they realized they could only fit the three of them at their usual lunch spot and at Ouran a lunch spot did not change until the next year. It was another of those strange unspoken rules.

"We're sorry Mikan." They cried, as Mikan began to move away.

Mikan shook her head, "It's alright. I was going to take Cho outside anyways. See you guys after lunch."

"I feel so bad." Yui sighed, "She'll be out there all on her own.'

'I know but it's not like we could ask anyone to move down. The lunch room is very crowded today." Momo shrugged as they stepped into the lunch line.

"And besides Cho needed some fresh air." Ria finished

Mikan rolled her eyes, "I'm fine."

She pushed the oak door open that led to a small patio surrounded by flower beds and green grass walking into the warm, yet slightly cold Autumn afternoon. She stepped onto the grass easing her self down and letting Cho out of his box that happily scampered around, yipping. She had been sure to place him back in his crate as not to wind up back in the head masters office as soon as she had been allowed to get a moment to breathe.

It seemed people had been dragging her this way and that all day.

She leaned over on her knees watching, as Cho leaped up and around, her sandwich on her knees.

"Ahh Mikan-chan! Please don't cry! We'll sit with you." A voice cried out as

She was forced to the ground, as she glanced at the small kid squeezing the air out of her, what his name? Oh right.

"Honey-chan please gets off. I wasn't crying. " she explained, as she turned to see the entire host club leaning over her.

When did they get here?" She wondered

"No really I'm fine." She assured "I was just sitting out here to let Cho get some exercise. Your welcome to join me if you want."

She noticed that hundreds of faces where now turned to the courtyard from behind the windows.

"AHHHH! So kind, so sweet! After all we've done!" Tamaki yelled wrapping her in a hug

"Augh!" She gasped, "Can't breath!"  
'AH! I've injured you! I'm so sorry." He cried hugging her tighter.

"Still can't breathe." Mikan sputtered, flaring her arms.

"Tamaki-sama!" Huruhi warned, "She's turning blue."

"Ahh!" He yelling releasing her.

She stumbled for a minute, returning the hug, ad lifting him off the ground. Tamaki began to gasp and splutter, as the others watched on in amusement.

"Bad dog!" the twins scolded prying her off Tamaki. She only laughed, "So do you all want to lunch? Is that a pheasant?" She pointed to what was on their trays.

"Maybe." The twins looked as each other.

"Right, well lets devour poor small animals in the sun." She said smiling plopping down in the grass, pulling a sand which from her bag.

"Poor commoner." The twins sighed sitting with her, "Just like Huruhi, will never known the finer things in life."

Mikan laughed at the comment , giving a wink to Huruhi who only stared, and she laughed again.

"Stop insulting her!" Tamaki glared at them," You shouldn't say those things!"

"You can have some of my lunch!" Hunny offered, sitting in front of her. The guy from this morning was they're as well sitting beside him, Mikan waved.

What's his name?" She asked Hunny

"This is Mori!" Hunny exclaimed throwing his arms in the air for emphasis.

"HI Mori." She waved again, "And don't worry I like my lunch. What did you pack Huruhi?"

"Oh some sushi, some rice, some noodles." She answered

"I'll stick to nutella." Mikan smiled taking a bite out of her sandwhich, her face scrunching up, as she quickly swallowed what was in her mouth. She opened up her sandwich. It wasn't her usual nutella sandwich, someone had made a relish and hot sauce with baloney.

She quickly placed it back in her paper bag, making the mental note to make her own sandwich tomorrow.

She spied a roll on Haiku's tray snatching it off.

"Bad dog!" The twins smacked her upside the head.

"My roll! Mine!" She growled cowering over it on the ground, "You can never has it!"

"Give us the roll!" They ordered

She shoved the entire thing in her mouth at once, and shook her head no. She had chew for a while to get it down though, as she watched Cho begin to run around in circles.

"Don't hit her." Tamaki yelled again, "You'll make her upset."

"No we won't! " They argued, "Do you see in any tears?"

"You know I don't always cry!" Mikan sniffed bursting into tears as she forced the rest of the bread down, "Why are you guys so mean?"

"Ahh MIkan!" Hunny cried leaping in to her lap and wrapping his arms around her, but she instead had stopped crying looking at them smiling, "I love-hiccup-you guys!"

"You were faking it?' The twins yelled, "Does this mean that your tears yesterday were fake as well? "

"Oh no those were real." She replied, as she let out another hiccup.  
"Your so talented! It's a good sign if you are able to cry on command!" Tamaki sighed, "You would be perfect as a host if you weren't a girl."

Huruhi gave a short snort at his comment, but covered it up quickly with a cough.  
"Uh thanks?" MIkan answered, "I'll just take that as a compliment and run."

"Are you coming to the host club today?" Hunny asked as he sat in her lap

"Uh-I'm busy." She answered

"Maybe she can't afford it." The twins whispered, "Poor, poor, poor, puppy. Never knowing the thrills of being wealthy."

"Stop it!" Tamaki yelled, Mikan felt him slap his hands over her ears, " She shouldn't be tainted, by your words!"

Mikan only shook her head, placing his hands on top of her head instead "Is he always-hiccup- like this? She asked Huruhi.

She only sighed, "You have no idea."

She felt him begin to stroke her hair, but she didn't tell him to stop. She sighed happily, hiccupping every few moments.

She felt someone climb into her lap and rest against her chest. It was Hunny who was using her as if she was a couch.

She sighed happily, as she felt Tamaki begin to braid her hair

"So good.' She smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair parting it. She looked to the side, "Who's that?"

He was tall, with glasses sitting a little ways off to the side, writing in what looked like a pad. He had most likely been there for the entire time, but she hadn't even heard him speak.

"That's Kyoya." Hunny told her looking up his eyes closed, "He's our vice president."  
"We call him the shadow king." The twins told her. She realized the three of the m where now playing with her pink hair.

"What are you doing back there?" She asked

"You'll see." They answered

Hunny, as if seized by a brilliant idea, leaped out her lap running to the flower beds, Mori close behind.

"Huruhi should I be scared?' She asked

Huruhi glanced up from her lunch, at to what they were creating, "I hope you like flowers."  
Mikan only rolled her eyes, they pulled her head right and left, up and down. Hunny came sprinting back with two hands full of flowers.

She glanced over again at Kyoya to see Cho playing around with him, jumping up and down. He was just staring, like he was studying it.

He picked it up, scratching behind the ears, Cho lay passively enjoying every moment of it.

"He doesn't seem that bad." Mikan commented to Huruhi.

She shook her head, "Trust me. There's a reason why he's called the shadow king."

"You're only saying that because of your debt." The twins commented, "No violet should go next the white daisies."

"Debt?" Mikan asked

"I broke a really expensive vase." Huruhi replied simply," And now I'm working the debt off as a host."

"More reason to stay away." Mikan mumbled remembering how she had fallen down the stairs,

"This is fun!" Hunny exclaimed, as Mikan felt him shove more flowers in to her hair.

What the heck where they doing?

"Done!" Tamaki yelled brandishing a large mirror, "What do you think of it?"  
Where did he the mirror? She wondered, as she turned her head side to side, I'm walking a bouquet she smiled to her, "I love it!"

They had kept her bangs, but had done almost a ripple of tiny braids that sat before her ears, a crown of flowers encircled her head that had been braided in, that held back the rest of hair. It was gathered in a long braid with flowers intertwined.

"I should have you guys do my hair more often!" She smiled  
'We'd love to!" they smiled giving her thumbs up.

"You need to sit at lunch with us." Hunny smiled

"Do you guys have this lunch everyday?' She asked as tried to lift herself up. It failed it wasn't easy with the leg brace.

Mori quickly lifted her up, placing her on her feet. 'Thank you!" She smiled at him. Mori didn't say anything just lifted Hunny onto his shoulders that waved good-bye, as they headed to their next class.  
"Parting is such sweet sorrow." Tamaki spun dramatically before taking her hands in his," Adieu!"

"Yeah, see you late." Mikan smiled, ready to bend down to get her things.

"We've got them." The twins stopped her, smiling, "Come on Huruhi."  
"Hye. Hye." Huruhi answered grabbing her own bag, joining them.

"Here's your puppy." Kyoya said, as he place the dog in her arms, his glasses suddenly glinted in the sun.

She shivered, at his glance, he was evil.

"Would you like to hold Cho?" Mikan asked handing her the puppy.

"Sure." Huruhi shrugged taking the puppy in her arms.

Mikan almost wished she could have just stayed out the entire rest of the time as the wishpers began as soon as they stepped back in,

MIkan attempted to ignore them.

"How do you guys put up with it?" She asked as she watched as the twins simply put their arms around each other and the girls swooned in packs, little hearts filling the air.

"They feed off it." Huruhi answered, "That's their specialty, brotherly love. You should see them in action."

Mikan shrugged, "I'm sure I'll stop by eventually. Do you like working for them?"  
Huruhi shrugged, "I can't complain. They're nice if a little over t he top sometimes."

"I think everybody at this school is crazy." She agreed. She stopped short though at the classroom as realized there was a sea of yellow blocking the door.

The twins easily parted the way, Mikan followed yelling, "Cripple coming through! Busted up leg! Watch out!"

Huruhi let out a small laugh, as she handed back Cho, "I better retrieve them. "

Mikan sat next to her friends, but not until the twins wailed over their parting,

"NO! We want puppy to come!" They cried trying to drag Mikan with them They almost succeeded, until Huruhi grabbed them both their ears and forced them out, "Come on! We're going to be late for out next class!" She warned, as they forced a way back out through the yellow.

"Aww Huruhi is so cute when he's being mean!" The twins smiled at each other, throwing their arms around her, as they continued down hall/

"Bye!" Mikan waved. She turned to see Rai, Yui, and Momo practically foaming at the mouth.

"TELL US EVERYTHING !"

….

"He did you hair?' Rai asked, "Think of it Tamaki, running his fingers through your hair."

"The twins." Momo sighed, hearts in her eyes.

**/Yui inner mind theatre/**

The host club is seated in a beautiful garden, with a white marble fountain behind them as birds chirp. Hunny is dressed in a toga with tiny little wings as he throws rose petals about. Mori is dressed in the same with a gold breast plate as he watches Hunny. Mikan is seated on the floor, in a long blue almost see through dress, as Tamaki, and the twins laugh gaily and fix her hair. Huruhi sat to the side strumming a lute, Kyoya hums a sweet tune.

**/end/**

"Kya! Was Hunny dressed with a pair of wings? Did Kyoya use his angelic voice?" Yui wailed

"Uh-no." Mikan answered as she began to re pack her books. Class had gone fast, and as usual the teacher simply gave up on the last ten minutes as the buzz of talking continued to grow.

"Yui perhaps you should think about visiting your doctor." Rai suggested patting the blonde of the arm, "Are you coming with us?"

"I already told you I can't." MIkan shook her head, 'But I'll walk with you guys."

Momo held the other two behind, "Don't push her. Remember what we've been talking about."  
"Right." The girls gave her thumbs up.

"Are you coming?" Mikan asked

"Hye!" They yelled running to catch up, as they began to chat about the Host club guys again.

"Are Tamaki's teeth really as white as they say are?" Momo asked

"My eyes burned from the sheer whiteness. I had to look away before they became totally shriveled."

Yui screamed throwing a pair of sunglasses on, "I don't want my eyes to burn out."

Ria shook her head, yanking her sunglasses off, "Please that's why he hardly ever shows his teeth when he smiles. Just for that reason."

Mikan smiled at the comment, "Alright. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She waved good-bye as her friends disappeared into a swirl of rose petals. She was about to move on, when she realized the Cho wasn't in his box. She had forgotten to reclose his box!

She looked at the double doors, he could have possibly gone in there.

A sudden cry of "Aww! He's so cute." Confirmed her suspicions.

She glanced in they were all crooning over the puppy "Look at him! He's so cute!" The girls cried.

"We've been replaced by a dog." The twins sighed as they looked on. Tamaki had crawled into a near by corner.

"I'm as cute as a puppy." He was muttering. Mikan sighed, as she limped in.

"Excuse me." She told them cutting in to the circle, "I'm afraid I'll have to take him back."

"Aww! Can't he stay?" The girls cried

"Well-" Mikan started, "I suppose. Momo do you mind dropping him by my house?"

The look that crossed her face, could only be compared to someone who had a spoonful of spicy mustard and pickle juice.

"Or not." Mikan nodded,"Rai?"

Rai looked around," I have a piano lesson, but Yui doesn't have anything going on! Right Yui?"  
Yui looked at her friends desperately, "No. I would be-happy to drop Cho off."

"Thank you Yui. Have fun." She smiled as she left them to croon over the dog. She felt the someone staring at her, the back of her hair stood on end.

She glanced, it was Kyoya, but his gaze had shifted to the girls. She may have simply been imaging it.

……………..

The girls had eventually, simply passed the puppy around, as they sat with the different hosts. The puppy couldn't get enough of the attention, allowing him to be rubbed over and over again, until it was time for everybody to leave.

"What do you think of her?" Kyoya asked Tamaki as they walked to their waiting rides.

"Who?" He asked

"That girl. Mikan." He answered pushing his glasses up his nose.

"She's very sweet. And lovable and adorable-just, just, like-"

"A puppy." Kyoya finished

"Yes a puppy!" Tamaki sighed as he spun around," Someone who Huruhi can look up to, someone to teach her how to become more lady like, indulge in her girly side-"  
Kyoya had lost interest in Tamaki's speech, as he pulled out his pad. At least "the king" agreed what he had already noticed.

"Perhaps the club should invest in a new dog." Kyoya commented

"A cute puppy to prance around with the costumers, to be loved and petted, just like that little Papillion today." Tamaki smiled, he had reached the area known as lala land, "And Huruhi as a maid! Just think of it!"

"I'd rather not." Kyoya answered, as the chauffeur came to open the door. He climbed in, leaving Tamaki to himself.

I love it when things fall perfectly in to place, Kyoya thought

* * *

Aww, aren't I nice? Cliffhanger! Enjoy your imagination until I give you another update loyal readers

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	5. The Proposition

It's been like a month since I updated.

Here you are loyal readers and reviewers, another chapter. Thank you for those who corrected my errors!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own host club or I would be famous, I only own my oc's as lonley as they are.

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Chapter Five The proposition

It was another bright and sunny morning at Ouran High school. Mikan's week had defiantly improved since Wednesday and now it was Friday, her favorite day of the week.

The girls no longer crowded in around her, now they just whispered on the side lines, even when she began sitting with the rest of the host club. Her friends of course drooled and asked her everyday what was said, what it was like, but she enjoyed their antics.

She had gotten used to the brace, though it had made sitting at the table harder, as in trying to lift her leg up and over without flashing off her underwear. Luckily she had figured out a system, which kept her from wearing the yellow dress.

She still shuddered at the thought.

"Again Mikan?' Rai asked, "But will be the weekend tomorrow, and you'll have to wait till Monday." She finished with a long sigh.

She simply waved good-bye to her friends, as she again refused their invitation to come to the host club.

"I'm busy" she told them.

"Your coming to the club one of these days." Momo warned her.

"I will." She answered ,"As soon as I have a free day."

She watched them enter and then walked away smiling and humming to herself, as she headed for the locker rooms, the sun's rays warm her every time she passed by the large bay windows.

"Hello Mikan."

She jumped, and turned to see Kyoya, "Hi." She smiled, she hadn't even heard him walk up. He really was the shadow king.

"I've been observing you Mikan." He said very bluntly a pulling out his pad. She didn't answer, and he seemed to take it as a sign to continue as she began to walk again he was matching her step for step.

"You're a sophomore transfer. You were accepted into Ouran, but you were also granted a partial scholarship due to gifts in the field of dance."

She gave a curt nod of her head, he was going somewhere with this she noted,

"You've made friends with the entire host club. Most girls would have been ripped to shreds to be caught in such a position, but instead you're the talk of the entire school."

She nodded her head again.

"Would you like know why you're still in one piece?" He asked he was smiling, " You're like a puppy sweet and adorable that everybody can pet and love and play with and not feel like their being judged, just like Cho. "

"Thanks?" She asked unsure if he was insulting her or if it was a high compliment.

"That is why I have a proposition, you come and work for the host club essentially as our dog, and I will make sure you are provided with all the ballet supplies you need until you graduate." Kyoya said, as he wrote in his pad, "I have done the math of how much Pointe shoes cost you in a year alone."

"How are you going to manage that?" She asked," You don't seem like the type to give willing from his own wallet."

'Your right. But I'm not funding this, the host club is." He answered

"And you think you can earn enough to function at the rate you do with your club and still afford to support me?"

"I'm know I can." He answered, he stopped. She turned and faced him , looking up.

He face was emotionless as the sun caused his glasses to glare white. "I know your not stupid Mikan. I know what I am undertaking, that is not for you to worry about. Why you? Because I know just how far you're willing to push yourself, I've watched your rehearsals enough, to see as anyone can that your prima donna material. I admire it."

She let it sink in for a minute, he was basically suggesting that she was an asset. Just how much does he know about me? She tried to imagine him standing outside the door, watching her class. She took a deep breath, not having to pay for dance supplies would be nice, and she was friend's with them.

"You got a deal." She replied sticking out her hand, "When do I start?"

He smiled as he took it in his, giving a good shake.

"Monday. You will receive a uniform and instructions over the weekend. And I already have your address. " He added

She raised an eye brow blinking a few times, "You weren't going to let me say no where you."

He only smiled again.

* * *

She sat in class still in her Mini skirt and her mom's old college hoodie, notebook in hand, only half listening to the teacher correct the other girls. She couldn't dance because of the brace, but that didn't mean she couldn't still come and take notes.

She would have a lot to catch up on as soon as she was rid the brace.

She felt her heart stop, That was another thing, how was he going to manage to work around her afternoon classes? She wouldn't miss those unless she wanted her head cut off or lose her scholarship. And did this mean she would have to wear a poofy yellow dress? And what exactly was she supposed to do as their dog? Had he even mentioned it the other members or was he going to do something huge?

She sighed, recording the steps of the recital piece, only half concentrating as the unanswered questions buzzed through her mind.

"Mikan this is not art class." Her teacher scolded, as she realized she had been drawing pictures of a prancing puppy, "I apologize Sensei."

The teacher however had gone back to the bar instruction, and Mikan sighed trying to shove the unanswered questions back into her subconscious, she would deal with them later.

Yet, when she returned home, there was neat brown package on her doorstep.

"I guess he does have it all under control." She murmured grabbing the package and pushing the door open as the high-pitched yips of Cho greeted her.

"Hey baby." She smiled picking the dog up, "Am I really like you?"

The dog only yipped again, wagging its tail.

"Nah. 'She smiled, heading up the stairs, "Come on. Want to help me read through the shadow kings instructions?"  
'Yip!"

"Of course you do." She laughed

* * *

Alright! Thank you for being so patient! It has been many weeks and this chapter is short, but there is much more to follow.

Please Fav or review , because it's good for you health

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	6. The Phone the Never Stopped

Hello, loyal fans of this lovely story. Thank you! Thank you! And way over due links here for your entertainment are in my profile, just look under story art. It should be in bold.

story art, to give you an idea of what the heck she looks like. Enjoy! Feel free to look at others, I have many others pictures up in my gallery. Feed back welcome!

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Chapter Six The Phone that never stopped ringing

* * *

Kyoya was enjoying sleep. IT was the weekend; he had just found a new asset in one fell swoop with no need to even enact a more elaborate plan, when his phone rang.

He let it ring, but it just kept at it. Ring. Ring. Ring.

And then it stopped, just as he reached for it. He smiled rolling back into his covers.

Until it started up again, Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring,

He clicked it open; having a feeling he knew exactly who it was.

"Kyoya! I know exactly whom we should adopt! As our next dog!" Tamaki announced to his friend over the phone.

Kyoya glared, the clock shown 5:30 am, "Mikan?" He asked

"Yes? Wait how did you know?" Tamaki asked slightly disappointed.

"You should now me better by now." He yawned, "I'll talk to her and take care of it."

He threw the phone across the room, but not before removing the battery, rolling back into the covers.

"How did he know?' Tamaki asked himself again staring blankly at the phone," Maybe he can read minds!"

He shuddered at that thought, as he climbed back into bed, but he laid on his side or on his stomach. Sleep alluded him.

He dialed another number randomly after flipping blindly through his list of contacts.

"Hello?" A very awake voice answered him, "Can I help you?"

"Who's this?"

"Mary queen of Scotts." The voice slurred, "Em, is this the resident king of the host club?"

"How did you know?" He asked amazed

"I have people." It replied, "What can I help you with?"

"Aren't you dead?" Tamaki asked

"Yes, you reached the other side." The voice answered after a moment, "Listen do you want any help or what?"

"No not really." Tamaki answered half un sure if he really was having conversations with the dead, "Kyoya has it under control or so he told me."

"Okay. Well I'm going to hang up-" The voice started

"No. No please stay on." Tamaki cried, "Ah how you've been?"

"Dead." It answered

"Oh-and how's that?" He asked

"Boring." The voice answered a horse knickered in the background

"Was that a horse?" Tamaki asked

"Yes , what horses die to you know.' The voice told him, he heard a small snort as someone was trying to hold in laughter.

"Is the horse bored?" He asked

"No, just hungry." The voice answered," It's his breakfast time you know."

Tamaki glanced at the clock, it read 6:00 am, "Isn't it early for breakfast?"

"Not for him it's not." The voice answered, there were a couple giggles followed by a small laugh.

"Is there someone with you?" Tamaki asked

"Yeah, it is the other side." The voice answered, "There are a lot of dead people."

"Who's with you then?" He asked

"Louis the 14th of France, and his best friend Gwen the cocktail" The voice answered, as someone let out another giggle a few more horses nickered as well.

"How many horses are their?' He asked

"About eleven." The voice answered, "Their all hungry."

"I though there would have been a lot more horses?"

The voice sighed, "The other side is very big, you know. We're just a small group, and right now where feeding horses."

"Can't they feed themselves?" Tamaki asked

"No. They have no thumbs."

"Oh." He paused, "How is the king of France?

"He's tiered." The voice gave a loud yawn, "What about your majesty aren't you tiered?"

"No. "Tamaki answered, "Not really."

"Hmm, maybe you should come help us feed the horses."

"Wouldn't that mean I would be dead?" He asked, slowly tightening the grip on his phone

"Is that going to be an inconvience?" the voice asked, "You would love being dead."

"AHHH!" He screamed clicking the end button on the phone and throwing it across the room. He dove under his covers, he would never again dial numbers blindly.

* * *

"Who was that?" Kagame asked as she shoveled hay from the loft to the floor.

"A friend." Mikan smiled, as she picked up a armful of hay placing it in a chestnut mares feedbox who greedily ate away.

"Speaking of friends, did you manage to make any?" She asked, "Aya came out here at 5:30 to do her chores, just so she could meet her friends."

"Hye! Hye!" Mikan answered, "You already met three of them, I have about eight others."

"Ah, I suppose that was the large instruction manual you were reading last night was for?" Kagame asked, "The host club?"

"Hye." Mikan answered annoyed, "What about you? Your going back to the university soon isn't you?"

Kagame shrugged, "I go where the winds blow me."

Mikan threw a handful of hay at her, "Horse crap! It's to early to be poetic."

Kagame rolled her eyes, "It's true though. You think you're on one path and then poof you're on a back country road with a hobo named Bill who's riding in the backseat strumming a banjo."

"I know where I'm going." Mikan said in a harsh whisper.

Kagame stared at her for a minute, "Always keep an open mind, remember Mom thought she was just going to live in the suburbs and write for a vegetable magazine, and next thing you know her manuscript if being fought over and she's rich enough to never work another day in her life."

"Hai! Hai!" Mikan answered annoyed. Kagame quickly changed the subject, "So what are these friends of the other sex like?"

Mikan smiled, as she plunged into a description of each as Kagame listened intently.

"And what do they do at this club?" Kagame asked

"They entertain girls for a fee." She answered

"So your working for a bunch of man whores?' Kagame asked bluntly

"They are not man whores." Mikan snorted trying to hide a laugh, "Their professional gentlemen, who entertain young ladies who have a lot of time on their hands, who I will begin to work for on Monday."

"Here that tock, my sisters become a subservient dog to a bunch of egotistical men who happen to have a lot of cash and time on their hands." Kagame smiled as she petted Tick's brother, "And she's worried about me."

Mikan snorted throwing hay at her sister, who shrieked and returned fire, until they horses began to prance as if to say stop throwing our breakfast on the floor.

"Alright, We got a lot more work to do, and I still have to finish his list of instructions."

"This guy Kyoya, was his name right, Kyoya sounds very meticulous about everything."

"They call him the shadow king." Mikan whispered, "because he rises out of the shadows and he's everywhere."

"Lovely." Kagame answered leading Kuri the buckskin draft out to the padlock and

as if at the very mention of his name Mikan's phone rang, "Hello this is nut house. Head cashew speaking."

"Very funny, Mikan. Have you read the instructions?" Kyoya asked, "Do you understand everything?"

"Of course.' She answered," The uniform is cute as well, your idea?"

"I'm glad you like it." He answered not bothering to respond to her question," Did you receive a new schedule yet?"

She had pulled it up last night, "Yes. Thank you for working out such accommodations."

"Of course. Please refrain from discussing your position-" He started, but she cut him off, "Because it's the kings descion if he announces it the rest of the club or simply makes it a surprise." She paused and added, "IT was hard to miss that one, in the big bold letters on a page by themselves."

" And you family has given you permission."

Mikan thought of how her mother had yet to answer her e-mail, but Kagame, who was the next best thing, had given her approval, "Hye. I'll see you Monday, I got nine babies to feed right now."

She clicked her phone shut.

* * *

Kyoya stared for a minute at his phone, now that is was a reasonable hour, she had nine babies? He pulled out his laptop typing away, he must have missed something in his research.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. His other phone began to ring, since he had destroyed cell early this morning.

"Hello?" He asked

"Kyoya! I had the most amazing experience! A conversation with Mary, Queen of Scots! I was just dialing a random number, when a voice told me I had reached the other side, quick alert the media!"

Kyoya sighed, "Tamaki, I do not think it's possible for such a feat to happen, perhaps you were simply experiencing a hallucination, I recommend a doctor."

"No! I tell you it was real, and Louis the 14th was they're as well with his best friend Gwen the cockatiel."

'Uh huh.' Kyoya nodded, as the screen pulled up his results, No she had two sisters and two younger brothers, though they were all old enough to take care of themselves. He scrolled down, clicking on her mother's profile, it seemed she had a great love for horses, and owned exactly eleven.

"Oh-"Kyoya sighed, smacking himself mentally, she was referring to the horses, as her-, yes it made sense now.

"You haven't been listening again? " Tamaki accused, "I tell you I have physic powers and you drown me out-"

"Perhaps we should dress as fortune tellers then-"Kyoya commented continuing to type on his computer, pulling up as much information as he could.

"Yes! Yes brilliant!" Tamaki yelled over the phone, "I will have the costumes ready on Monday!"

"Do not forget about Mikan." Kyoya reminded him," I'll send over her measurements."

"Wait-" Tamaki paused, "You already talked to her."

"Please makes sure her costume is very feminine. "Kyoya continued avoiding a needless answer.

'She's-she's our new-"

"And I would avoid cosplay until later in the week." Kyoya continued

"PUPPY!" Tamaki cried happily, "We have a puppy! We have a puppy!"

"Because she'll need time to adjust to her new position." Kyoya finished, as Tamaki continued to sing about how Mikan was going to be their puppy.

Kyoya clicked his phone shut, returning to his research.

* * *

good chapter? I thought so. I think I'm staying in character, why don't you send a nice review and let me know or a fav. Fav is good.

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	7. Tamaki's Really Big Surprise

la la la! dude this is such a monster! huzzah so glad people like. Yes the speed is slow, but is good yes? I give you another chapter! PLease continue to read and enjoy, and check out the links in my profile under story art to see the before mentioned word.

Ahem Disclaimer: Own nothing cept my oc's.

* * *

Chapter Seven Tamaki's really big surprise

* * *

Tamaki had been practically bouncing off the walls the entire day. This was it. All their training, arguments, he could finally reviel it to them.

"Tamaki?" Honey asked, "What's the really big surprise? "as he walked with Mori.

Tamaki only smiled as he waved a hand in the air, "You'll have to wait and see."

"Kyoya?" The twins asked glancing at the shadow king, who didn't bother to return their look. Aloof as ever as his glass tinted in the sun.

"He's been planning this for weeks." Haruhi commented beside them as her bag banged against her hip.

"What do you mean?" Hikaru asked, as they glanced down at her.

"He's been studying her for days now, haven't you noticed?' She asked, "And why he asked us to get out the old teacups."

Hikaru and Kaoru only exchanged a puzzled glance, and Haruhi shrugged, "I suppose you'll see what I mean in a moment." As they walked on.

"Alright family." Tamaki stopped them in front of the double doors, "It has come to your mother's and I attention that our family is missing something, something that makes it whole, which is why we got you-

He swung wide open the doors gesturing his arms, at-

"Air?" The twins laughed together leaning on each other for support.

Tamkai opened his eyes. She wasn't there. She wasn't there.

"Tamaki-sempi is confused." Hunny whispered to Mori as Tamaki began to tear through the clubroom, crawling on the floor to check under the couches and chairs and tables.

"Kyoya! Where is she? You said she would be here!" He whispered as he ran to Kyoya dragging him away from the group so they wouldn't be in on what the big surprise was.

"Yes, I know . It seems that she'll be a little late today." Kyoya answered coolly as he scanned through the text messages on his phone, "It appears she had to talk to her psychical therapist about her sechulde. She should be here soon."

"Oh." Tamaki answered as he turned back to the others, "The surprise is coming. There was a problem with delivery. In the mean time let us prepare."

The twins laughed again as they plopped onto to the couch, "Off you go dog." as the waved Haruhi away.

Haruhi grumbled as she set down the bag and pulled out the teacups and teapots from a cabinet in a corner of the large room. She needed to get the water, and the tea. She checked it off in a mental list in her head. They were all hooked on the commoner's tea now, so she had to keep buying new containers.

"Oh here let me get that."

She glanced behind at the voice. It was Mikan. Only she looked a lot different. She had on a blue dress that mirrored the color of the school's blazer and a large fluffy apron that resembled something of Alice in Wonderland. She took the teacups, dumping a little tea at a time glancing at the container.

"Gross, they like this stuff?" She asked as she set it back down on the counter, "And why are you over here pouring?"

Haruhi was speechless for a minute, "I was a dog. So they think it's still fair for me to have to do menial chores."

"But you're a host, so how does that work out?" She asked slowly as she yanked on one her tightly curled ponytails, "Why are staring at me?"

"I'm just wondering what position they've assigned you." She answered slowly as she looked at the ears and tail, "You're wearing ears?"

"Oh do you like them? Just something I added to make it more interesting." Mikan answered as she touched the fuzzy brown ears on the headband, "My sister help me make them last night."

"Oh." Haruhi nodded, "Did Kyoya force you into working for the club?"

Mikan laughed as she waved her hand, "Oh god no. I never even thought of coming to this place, until he offered to make me, I guess the "maid" or "Puppy " .

"Offered?" Haruhi questioned suddenly finding herself very annoyed at the fact she had been offered a position. Who in their right mind would want to work with them?

"He's paying me, well actually it's more of exchange to work here." She explained, as she began to stack the teacups on the tray, "You would not believe what he made me do. Three days just on the etiquette and how to set and remove cups. ."

Haruhi felt her eye twitch, trying to imagine spending that much time one on one with Kyoya, "You are in charge of setting out tea. That takes care of my chore."

Mikan smiled, "Yeah of course. " as she carried the tray over the tables setting the cups out.

Haruhi made her way back over to the couch were the other club members sat, lazily waiting for when the customers would begin to arrive. Honey was munching down on his cake beside Mori, the twins were looking bored, Kyoya was involved in his phone and Tamaki seemed to be incredibly anxious.

She plopped down in the nearest chair, happy not to be stuck with the menial chores anymore. None of the other club members seemed to be aware of Mikan's presence, so she didn't bother to tell them. There was no point if Tamaki wanted it to be a surprise.

"Where is she? Where is she?" He was muttering as he paced back and forth. It was actually quite funny that she was in the back setting up and they were oblivious to the fact that she was there in the back setting out teacups.

"Tamaki we have to get ready."

He glanced over at Kyoya defeated. Kyoya shrugged, and Tamaki woefully dragged a chair to the center as he sighed.

"No surprise Milord?" The twins questioned as they stood behind, "Though the air was rather nice."

"No there is a surprise. Just not today." He answered

Haruhi rolled her eyes as she shook her head standing in her usual place just as the doors opened, "Welcome." They greeted.

Tamaki stood up all signs of his grief gone as he greeted the flock of yellow giggling ladies.

"Welcome. Welcome. Please have a seat, enjoy some tea." He ushered them as they took their positions at the tables. Haruhi glanced around, to see where Mikan had gotten to, but she was gone.

Probably filling up tea, she decided as she sat at the table and her first costumers sat by her.

She glanced down there was already hot tea in the glass. She sipped it, as the girl giggled and chatted about this and that.

"I wish MIkan hadn't been in a hurry today." One of them was saying to her friend who sighed, "I know, but she said she had to go see a therapist and then she said something about a club."

"A therapist! I didn't know she had to see a therapist! Do you think it's because of her sister?"

"Yui, not that kind of therapist. It's a physical therapist." The girl's friend reprimanded as she turned back to Haruhi smiling, "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm just fine." She answered with a smile, "I think I did see Mikan earlier."

"Really?" They inquired leaning closer, "Where?"

"Oh, in the club room." Haruhi shrugged, "Here she comes now."

The girl's mouths dropped in awe as Mikan came over carrying the teapot, as her brace clunked against the floor.

"I brought you a teapot." She smiled as she sat in on the table, before moving away again.

They stared after her before turning to Haruhi.

"Is she working for the host club?" the one with black hair whispered.

"I think so." Haruhi started slowly, they all turned to look at each other as smiles and giggles broke out once more.

She shook her head, watching as no one else seemed to notice that Mikan was wandering about even as her cast made a thinking sound against the floor. Tamaki was much to busy entertaining his customers, even though Mikan bent right in front of him to pour more tea from the container and water for the various ladies.

He is oblivious, she noted turning back to her own costumers, maybe that was the point to let Mikan blend into the background, so no one would be jealous. Things went on as usual, she had five more costumers, who chatted amongst themselves. She tuned in once in a while, but none of them mentioned the fact that a curly haired girl was wandering serving tea until there was a blood-curling scream that echoed in the large room. There was total silence and collective gasp as everybody at once tried to locate the source.

Loud choked sobs and heavy gasping replaced the screams, like someone was having trouble breathing. Haruhi glanced over, there was now a yellow mob, but none of the girls seemed to be taking action to help whoever was in trouble.

"Move." Haruhi ordered as she shoved her way through the mob of yellow, to Mikan who laid with her cast leg askewed and covered in brown liquid. She most have fallen and spilled hot tea all over herself. The twins seemed to stare down gawking with the rest of them.

What's wrong with them? Haruhi wondered to herself.

She grabbed her arm lifting her up as the girls quickly dispersed to let the host through. "Mikan you'll be okay." Haruhi told her as she steered her across the floor.

The girl only nodded as she continued to cry her cheeks burning red, and her cast thunking across the floor. Haruhi didn't bother to announce where she was going to the other members, Mikan needed to get to the nurse now. She held her arm tightly steering her through the halls and through the door as they rushed down the hall. Behind them the room filled with chaos as girls screamed Kya and Tamaki's voice could be heard above the rest screaming for had just happened. She continued, though, Kyoya would be able to figure it out quickly enough. She pushed open the door open to the nurse's office.

"I'm sorry, but she burned herself." She announced, as Mikan now was simply gasping for air, as she tried to calm herself to stop crying.

The nurse nodded taking Mikan's arm, leading the pink headed girl away behind a curtain, as ripping sounds could be heard and her blue dress and apron suddenly appeared outside in a heap.

Haruhi sighed, that was scary. She glanced out the double doors as a mob led none other by the great king, Tamaki, who ran through gasping for air. He had sprinted.

"Haruhi what happened?" He was asking, "What princess was hurt by our negligence?"

"None." She shrugged, "Well, not by your standards. It's Mikan."

He seemed to turn to ash, "Mikan-? Mikan was hurt?"

"Mika-chan was here?" Honey asked sleepily as the rest of the host club appeared behind Tamaki shutting and barring the doors behind and the girls peered in from outside through the tiny windows..

"Yes. She's been here the whole time, serving tea. She served tea right at your table." Haruhi clarified.

Tamaki ducked into his corner of woe, as he began to cultivate mushrooms muttering the whole time of how stupid he was not to notice her and how she most despise them.

"Well, since this seems to be a shock to most of you. Mikan was hired on as our new "Puppy", to serve the customers tea and take over menial tasks that used to be Haruhi's." Kyoya explained as he pushed his glasses up his nose, "The plan was to introduce her today, but as you can see that did not happen, since you all failed to realize that she was even here."

They glanced sheepishly at each other, as Tamaki cried out as he spun around the room sobbing, "We've done it again! We've hurt her again!"

"Tamaki I'm sure she's fine. She was just burned by some tea." Haruhi explained

"Then the host club shall from now on drink no more tea! It's much too dangerous! We will serve only juice, like the commoners. We shall try some of Haruhi's finer offerings-" He paused as he realized that there was no one was listening to him.

"They're visiting your friend." The nurse smiled as she pointed to a small room to the side. He thanked her, as he pushed back a curtain that allowed for a small amount of privacy. She was sitting on the cot sitting on top of the sheets her head under a pillow .

"KYA! MIKAN PLEASE FORGIVE US! WE WANTED TO MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOME AND YET WE HAVE SHAMED YOU! I HAVE SHAMED MY FAMILY! I AM NOT WORTHY TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS YOU!" Tamaki cried as he spin round and round in the back round.

"Mikan are you okay?" Honey asked as he lay on the edge of the bed. Her dress had been ripped off, and now she sat in an oversized tee shirt and a pair of shorts with bandages on her arms with her cheeks red from the tears.

She nodded, looking down at the blanket, as the twins leaned on either side by the head of the bed, "We're sorry we didn't react fast enough."

"It's okay." She murmured, "I'm just so clumsily. Sprained leg and burned hands."

"Poor poor puppy." The twins sighed as they patted her head. She only shook her head as she slapped her hands to her face sighing, "So. Do I get the job?"

"You've had it." Kyoya answered simply as he stepped out taking Tamaki with him as he continued to babble nonsense and apologies, "Come on. We have costumers to attend."

Mori lifted up Honey who waved good-bye, as he laid his head against Mori's chest yawning, "I need some more cake."

It was only Haruhi and the twins now.

"You guys don't have to stay." She told them, "I'll be okay."

"We're bored." They shrugged as they yanked Haruhi over as they took over the edge of the bed forcing her between them as they sat on either side.

"But your costumers-" She started

"They can wait a minute, we have a few till we start our next shift." They answered.

"What caused you to slip?" Haruhi asked as she yawned glancing at her watch.

"Uh-" Mikan blushed, "Well. I was carrying the tray, and was passing by their table, and saw them just about to uh-cough-suck face with each other, and I happened to slip."

"Ouch. That hurt." The twins smacked her upside the head as they reached across the bed, "You should not insult our talents."

"Yes making out with your brother, counts as a talent." Mikan answered shuddering as she rubbed the side of her head, "Girls pay to watch this play out?"

They shrugged, "Their wild over it."

Haruhi smiled, at least she wasn't alone in thinking their behavior was something out of the ordinary.

"I warned you yesterday." She told Mikan who laughed and answered, "I didn't know that it would be that."

"Oh brother, she's so hurtful." Kaoru cried as he held onto his brother, who lifted up his chin ever so lightly to face him crushing Haruhi in the middle, "It's okay brother. I'm here."

"MAKE IT STOP!" Mikan yelled as she covered her face with the pillow chucking a second one at them, hitting Haruhi square in the face.

"Violence is not a good attribute for a lap dog." They warned wagging a finger in her face.

She snapped as she lowered the pillow from her face, "Neither is biting, but that hasn't stopped me before. "

They laughed, "Aww cute puppy. Thinks she's so tough."

They gave her another pat on the head as she pulled out her pigtails letting her curly pink hair out in a tangled mess as she tried to comb it with a hand.

Haruhi sighed, at least they seemed to take her in, in their usual mean snarky way.

"Come on. I don't think club activities have stopped just because Mikan is in the nurse's office." Haruhi warned grabbing each of their arms and hauling them off the bed.

"Aww, but Haruhi." They whined. She glared pushing them out of the small room, as Mikan called after her.

"Haruhi. Thanks again. I probably would have had a lot worse of burns if you hadn't reacted."

She turned and shrugged, "No problem. See you tomorrow."

Mikan waved as the door swung shut. Haruhi sighed walking out of the nurse's office, only to be greeted by a riot scene. The girls had surrounded in a giant semicircle as Tamaki tried to force them back.

"Please ladies. She's in a critical condition to see anyone." He warned as he pushed them back.

'Aww." They cried in unison as they pushed harder to get through. Haruhi glanced around, but there was only Kyoya standing near by glancing at his pad.

"Shouldn't we help him?" She asked the shadow king, "I don't think Mikan wants all these girls seeing her-"

'Of course." He answered, as he let out a loud whistle. The entire place suddenly went quiet.

"You may leave your well wishes with the club and we will make sure that our new resident puppy will receive them. She is however, very unwell at the moment and for you to try and visit her would cause unneeded stress." He announced with a smile. They went crazy again, screaming to get down the hall and most likely to their cars.

"You make a profit with everything you do." Haruhi commented

"It's our exchange." Kyoya answered, "In the end both of us are benefiting.

* * *

Mikan stretched as she walked down the now empty halls. She had extra clothes in her locker by the studios. Her stomach growled, she could still grab that stale pack of chips in her bag.

What a day, she had managed to make an idiot of herself only 2nd week in school, and further injure herself. IT was like the universe was screaming at her to quit while she was ahead.

She shook her head as she yanked out the extra coffee shirts and camee, throwing on her mom's hoodie, and ragged pair of pumas.

The bandages could come off in a day, because the burns had not been severe, but she was supposed to keep them on for now.

She touched the rough fabric, feeling the tender skin beneath. It really hadn't been her fault. She had just happened to look over, and get really distracted, really distracted. She wondered if that was even legal for them to doing things like that, but of course, they were rich. And from what she had seen of the rich so far, they were a lot different the average person on the street.

It was a lot to get used to. Momo, Rai, and Yui were talking about going to mountains to ski for the weekend, or to Tokyo after school on Thursday for a shopping trip. She used to think going to the bookstore and sucking down frappuchino's was cool, while she and her friends took over the fiction section and talked about fanfiction or drew.

Well that had changed, she was in Japan, half a continent away, and as much she hate to say it, she had lost contact with most of them. It wasn't like it hurt, well okay it hurt enough, but she did miss them. The same thing would have happened in a few years besides, because of college and her ballet career.

She pulled out her phone. No new messages. She clicked it shut, and pocketing it into her purse grabbing her duffel over her shoulder as she walked down the hall.

She yanked out her ipod, and plugging in the buds, as she bobbed her to the beat down the hall as the sun shone through the huge windows. She clicked a button taking the elevator the ground floor. The main lobby always made her gawk in amazement with its huge marble columns, and gilded oaky floor with cushy chairs, and hand crafted table in small sections to either side.

She pushed open the double doors, stepping out into the main path that led to the front gates. There were trees blowing leaves on to either side, as she thunked down the cement, turning left down a smaller path that would take her to the parking lot.

Her sister was waiting by the entrance, under the stone arch as Ivy climbed on either side. Her long black hair was pulled back a few clips today, as she hadn't bothered to change out her farm clothes. She probably had come from the field, as she wore her dirty jeans and ragged button up with the sleeves rolled up.

What really gave her away was the scuffed up cowboy boots that had at least five inches of cake dirt on them.

That also meant she had probably taken the jeep.

"Hey kid." Kagame greeted the usual smirk on her face.

She waved, making sure the bandages covered her hands, and yanking out a bud, "So how was your day?"

"Fabulous." Kagame answered as she walked with her to the car, waiting for her to throw her bags in the back, before easing into the passenger seat and starting the engine, "This your new school. Fancy stuff."

"Yeah." She nodded, "Did the twins have a good day?"

"You mean terrorizing the public school system of Japan?" Kagame raised an eyebrow as she spun the car in a semi circle spitting gravel out the back, and heading onto the main road "Yes. I told them that if mom saw them come home with one more angry note from the principal she put them in your school."

"Amazing to think that it can be considered a punishment." Mikan snorted watching as the outside flashed by in a blur and the wind blew through her hair, "Is mom home?"

"She was for a few hours today." Kagame answered, "She had a couple book signings and a dinner in Tokyo, so she'll be gone for a few days."

"Course." Mikan nodded, "We ever going to get invited to one of these dinner's?"

"I do. But it's not really for kids." Kagame explained, "You know all adult, bull shit talky talky."

"Ah." Mikan answered, "I just would go for the food."

"You and your stomach." Kagame shook her head, "So how was your day? Anything exciting happen."

"Well I started my job today-." She answered.

"Oh the man whores I forgot. Am I ever going to get to meet the men who enslaved my sister?"

Mikan raised an eyebrow recalling some of Kagmes past experiences, but thinking better than to bring them up she shrugged, "Yeah. Anyways they uh totally didn't even notice I was there. Until I slipped, spilled tea on myself, and then only one noticed enough to get me to the nurse."

"Who was that?" She asked as she thrummed the wheel turning on the radio.

"Oh, uh Haruhi." Mikan answered, "Nice guy. Anyways he helped me out, and the rest of them felt really bad about it."

"They should." Kagame snapped, "What kind of club doesn't even realize it has a new member?"

Mikan shrugged, "I'm just the maid, not a host. Anyways I got pretty burned, so I have to wear these bandages for a day."

"So it was a good day overall. Glad to hear it." Kagame laughed, "We're lucky that Aya has had less eventful days. I don't think I could take two set of drama."

"Where is Aya?" Mikan asked as she gathered her pink hair into a messy bun.

"Hanging with at her new friends house cross town. She took the limo over, and probably will not be back till late tonight."

'AH. In that case do you mind giving me a lift to my dance class tonight?" Mikan asked

"Sure. Why are you going? You can't even dance with that brace on.' Kagame questioned

Mikan shrugged, "I need to go. Even if I can't dance I can still sit in on the class and help out. Take notes on all the routines."

"Oh speaking of which how's the psychical therapy?"

Mikan shuddered, "Painful. My therapist refuses to go easy on me. I'll be more toned after I get this brace off then before." as she flexed her sore arms and leg.

"It's easy to maneuver in that thing isn't it?" Kagame asked as she glanced over at the heavy black brace.

"More or less. I'm able to move a lot faster than last week." She answered yawning, 'Gah. I have so much to do before tomorrow."

"Welcome to wacky world of high school." Kagame laughed as she made the car go faster.

"I forgot how much harder Japanese schools are compared to America." Mikan muttered as the gates opened as the jeep made it's way up to the Victorian house bumping along the gravel road/ .

She heard the horse's knicker from the fields, as she waved over in the general direction. There would be no riding for a while.

Kagame pushed open the door, as Mikan staggered by adjusting the straps on her shoulder in greeted by Cho who yipped.

"Hey honey. I see that Godzilla didn't get a hold of you." Mikan smiled as she picked up the small puppy.

"Hey my Iguana, hasn't eaten anything but crickets." Kagame argued, "It's the boys Banana Python you need to worry about."

'That thing is more lazy than you during your senior year of high school." Mikan snorted as she thumped up the stairs, Cho in hand. Her room was the last on the stretch of hall, though none of the other doors led to bedrooms, to get to the other bedrooms was a maze in itself.

She pushed the door open, with the pictures she had clipped out from Google, of wolves and horses. She threw her things on to the floor as she plopped down onto the bed, lifting herself up and laying against the pillows. Her big bay windows over looked the south fields, but no horses were grazing out there, as Cho yipped out at the panes sitting on the window seat.

She laughed, pulling a novel onto her lap. Homework could wait a half hour. IT was 4:00pm now that gave her an hour till night classes, which would be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. That was another thing she was not used to. Time. There was tons of time to do anything.

Yes she complained about homework, but that could be done quickly, a few hours at most. It used to be that they would have games to carpool to, and dance class and friends houses. Now it was they had a limo, and a jeep to take them where ever. Now it was feed yourself unless there was a rare day when they could sit down have a meal.

No one seemed to be missing the old life. Aya actually spent more time out of the house, it used to be she was brining home friends. Mom, who always made sure she was there to greet them when they came through the door of the big yellow bus, was in Tokyo or at some fancy dinner.

Kagame, well Kagame had always been a free spirit.

Of course, she hadn't really stayed the same. Now she had dance classes in the middle of school, psychical therapy after, and host club. Then of course there were the night classes every other day that were three hours.

She had wanted this though, she knew she would have this much dance in her life, the only difference is she didn't have to worry about paying for it. Not even for supplies now, she just whipp out a card that had all her earnings from host club.

Her phone rang on the stand as she flipped it open and the excited voice of Momo babbled to her.

"Mikan, hi-oh hold on. I'll connect Rai and Yui."

There was a click as all three of them suddenly came on.

"Hi Mikan." The two greeted.

"Hi guys. What's up?"

"We just wanted to make sure you were okay." Momo started

"Did they have to perform surgery?" Yui asked her voice dripping in worry. Mikan smiled to herself, "No. Yui. I just have some bandages."

"Aww, Mikan. I'm so sorry to hear it. " Rai cooed, "Would you like us to come over?"

"Uh why?" Mikan asked

"Well you can't use your hands? Can you?" Momo asked

"No. I can use them. You guys could come with me tomorrow after host club." Mikan offered, as there were sudden shrill giggles.

"Mikan why didn't you tell us your were working for the host club?" Rai scolded

"Uh, well Kyoya asked me to keep it a secret. It was supposed to be a surprise for the rest of the members, you know Tamaki was going to introduce me, but they ended up ignoring me-"

"We didn't even realize you were there until you dropped off the teapot." Yui gasped, "It's like your invisible."

"Thanks Yui." Mikan answered rolling her eyes.

"Yui!" Rai scolded, "Please. Mikan is just very-"

"Stealthy." Mikan offered as she glanced at her nails.

"Yes, thank you. " Rai answered, "Listen the girls and I were wondering-"

"If you wanted to come with us-" Momo continued.

"SHOPPING!" Yui finished, "I hear their releasing the latest line in Yum-Yum wear."

"OHH" The other girls squealed.

"Depends."Mikan answered, "What time?"

"Well it would be like tomorrow night, and we'd leave right after school-" Rai explained.

"Can't I have dance class." Mikan explained, "But I'm free on Sunday."

"SUNDAY?" They yelled in chorus.

"How much dance do you do?" Yui questioned, "It's like you dance every day."

"Three hours of day classes, hour of psychical therapy, and every other night three hours of night classes." She answered as she glanced at her nails. "On Saturday I have one to four rehearsals and psychical therapy and in the morning form five thirty to nine I have chores on the farm, and then lunch or cleaning the house."

"You have to do all the cleaning yourself?" Momo asked amazed," We have a whole staff of maids."

"I have maid who makes my bed every morning." Rai commented.

"Nope. Do it yourself at my place." Mikan answered, "But Saturday nights I'm free and Sundays all day."

"Aww, Mikan it's like we only see you in school." Yui sighed

"Well maybe you all can come over on the weekend, like on Saturday for a sleepover." Mikan offered

"I can't." Yui explained, "I have to go to France for a party my parents were invited to."

"Yes I'm afraid I can't either." Momo chimed in, "I have to go to Tokyo and see my Grandmother."

"I thought she passed away two years-" Yui started

"YUI!" Momo hissed

Mikan rolled her eyes, "It's cool guys. I know you're all probably really busy."

She talked to them a while more, before she finally clicked the phone shut as she reached for her notebook to start her math homework. Yep, life was defiantly different.

"Going to a party in France." She murmured to herself. What a life.


	8. Breaking in the Puppy

checks...jezz one review. Lots of favs and alerts, but no feedback! What am I'm writing to myself? I need feedback I tell you! A sentence, a word, a paragraph what ever your fingers can managed.

Ahem, and so the adventures continue. Poor Mikan. *laughs at character

Disclaimer: Own nothing but me Oc's

* * *

Chapter Eight Breaking in the new Puppy

The twins glanced at each other as Mikan thumped through the door. Gloom hanging over their heads. The more they thought about it, the stupider it seemed. She had been serving tea right in front of them, and they hadn't noticed. Granted they were to bored to be really being paying much mind to anything but themselves.

But her screams, they had just sat there. Like idiots watching her as she squirmed and clutched her hands in pain. Really they all had.

She probably would have had more severe burns had it not been for Haruhi's quick reactions.

They glanced from the edge of the couch as they watched her pour the tea, from the steaming teapot in the tiny cups. The bandages gone, replaced by red inflamed skin, that she was trying to hide beneath the sleeves of her replacement dress.

"You can't pour tea clumsy." They told her as they yanked the teapot out of her hands deciding it would be better if they served instead and shoved her over to couch, "Stay puppy."

She sat as a look of confusion, anger, and general amusement came across her face as she leaned back into the couch, loosing all her posture and poise. They stomped around placing the teacups at the tables as she followed behind, scolding, "No you got the placement wrong."

She would change up the cups, putting the saucers a hint to the right, or a spoon on the left.

'You still can't pour tea." They told her, stealing the teapot away.

"Says who?" She huffed crossing her arms, "As my mom says, you fall off the horse you get right back on. Give it here. You can't do it right anyways."

'Shoo commoner." They waved her away, "You're not the only one who can pour tea."

"No." She answered, snatching the pot from their hands and clutching it to her chest, "I'm the only one who can do it correctly. Besides, don't you have customers to, cough, entertain?"

They glanced at each other, "Do you not like it when we get so close to one another? Does it make you nervous?" as they spoke, they wrapped their arms tighter around each other.  
"No, just sick to my stomach." She answered, as her eye twitched just the slightest muttering about the rich and inbreeding.

"Do not insult your masters." They scolded bonking her on the head.

She loosened the collar she had added to her general costume as she laughed, turning to face them with a smirk of her face, "Whoa now. Where getting in a whole new level here."  
They only stared at her, as she laughed again turning away, finishing the pouring of the tea. They couldn't relax following her every move, until she snapped asking them to simply, "Go make out in the corner, or bother Haruhi or whatever else it is you two do while your waiting. But stop breathing down my back. By the way you could use some breath mints."

The twins relented watching her from the cover of the couch, as Tamaki took his turn to rant at her and the dangerous of tea.

"We agreed not serve our costumers this foul liquid! It's no surprise that an accident hasn't happened before! Now we know it's unsafe for their delicate-"

She turned, as she sat down the pot down, her arms crossed, "Tamaki-sempi I understand that you are worried for the general safety of the girls you entertain, however I think you are insuatiting that they are to weak to even enjoy the simplest of bervages. Which I might add, as a female myself may take it to heart, that their King is someone who otherwise looks down upon the female race, as weak beings unable to fend for themselves."

He turned to ash, as it was then blown into his corner. The twins applauded as she yelled at them, "DON"T YOU START!"

Tamaki simply muttered in his corner, as Mikan slapped hand to her face walking over and sitting near him.

"Tamaki-sempi, I'm sorry if I hurt you feelings. But you must be careful of how you talk about girls, we're fickle creatures-"  
He glanced at her before turning back to the corner, "I was just trying to help."

"I know. And that's a wonderful quality." She answered.

"She'll never get him to come out." The twins whispered to each other as they watched, their boredom temporarily cured.

"Please Tamaki-sempi. I'm very sorry I forced you to feel so dejected." She told him as she ran a hand down his back in a soothing motion.

"No." He whispered as he suddenly stood up, "It is I who should feel the shame. Thank you Mikan-" He grabbed her hands as he leaned in closer, she leaned away, "For you have shown me the error of my ways. Such a helpful puppy."

She smiled and blinked removing her hands, waltzing over to the couch as she leaned over the twins who pulled back from their look out spot.

"You were watching the entire time weren't you?" She asked

"Maybe." They shrugged, "Why do you care?"  
She rolled her eyes, moving past them as she greeted Haruhi. They talked like they had known each other for years.

"How does she do it?" Hariku whispered to Karou who shrugged.

"She's the puppy remember. Likable by everyone." He answered, "A thing to be petted, and pampered."  
"And played with." Hariku finished as his twin suddenly matched his smile.

He grabbed a pillow, tossing it across the floor, "Fetch Puppy."  
She glanced at them, "What do I get?"

They looked at each other, "Nothing."

"Then no. If you want a retriever you should have gotten a lab." She told them as she turned back to her conversation with Haruhi, though it was mostly Mikan doing the talking.

They glanced at each other, "Are you stupid puppy?"

She glanced at them, "Are you insuating something about my intelligence, or perhaps you have something to say about Kyoya's ability to judge character?"  
They shut their mouths faster than they had opened, lifting the pillow themselves and sitting on the couch again. Puppy had a nasty bite when she wanted to.

She clapped, "Aww, who are the good masters? You are. You are. You got the pillow. Good boys." Before she laughed.

They blinked, did she just tease them?  
The thought rendered them emotionless, as they tried to comprehend the fact that they may have just been teased. Not even Haruhi teased them. They were the teaser, the pranksters, and the little devils.

"Mikan-chan are you feeling better?" the high voice of Honey cried as he tugged Mori behind him," We rushed here, because we didn't get to see you today."

She smiled, "Of course Honey. Thank you. There's cake on the table if you want some."

She had gotten him cake. It was all so much. The twins clutched their heads, as they let out loud moans, "Take it away. Take it away. She shouldn't have been spawned."

"Are they okay?" Mikan asked as she glanced over at the twins who clutched their reeling heads. Haruhi only shrugged as she leaned against the chair, yawning, "I guess. They tend to me a little dramatic like Tamaki."

"Ah." Mikan answered, "So you want to come over this weekend? I'm going to be at my temporary house, while they do some work. I can introduce you to Star Trek."

Star Trek? They wondered, but it didn't matter. Mikan was inviting Haruhi, not anyone else. That meant she, no he was her favorite.

"We're coming to." They announced as the sat between them forcing Mikan to get off the small couch. She raised an eyebrow, as she instead made herself comfy on Kaoru's lap.

"Fine by me. 'She answered, "Your very comfy you know that."

He shoved her off, as she in turned grabbed his arm to yank him off, "Come on. I'm letting you over to my house, the least you can do it let me sit."

He tore his arm from her grip, "No. Puppy should sit on the floor."

Mikan huffed instead crushing Haruhi, who gasped at the sudden weight on his legs.

"Gah, please get off."

Mikan glared for good measure, before she moved off to Honey who glanced up at her with a knowing smile.

"Uh, Mikan-Chan could we also come to your house?" He asked his eyes getting wider if at all possible.

"Sure. The more the merrier. Tamaki you coming to?"

"To your house?" He asked as his eyes begin to sparkle and he twirled, "It would be the greatest honor, to sit in the house of a mere commoner."

She snorted, "I'll take that as a yes. I'll leave you to invite Kyoya."

The twins glanced at each other. The shadow king attends as well? That would make things interesting. They loved it when things were interesting.

Speaking of which, his voice suddenly called out that, "The guests will be arriving in two minutes. Mikan did you manage to set up today with out accidents?"

"Besides the fact that I almost lost a leg and right eye?" She asked as she thumped back over, "Yes."

"We made sure you didn't do anything of the sort-" They started, as Haruhi's voice chimed in, "I believe she was being sarcastic."

They lowered their heads, as Mikan again clapped smiling. "Whose the good smart masters?  
They glared, but unable to come up with a snappy comeback as Tamaki called for them to assemble. She began to thump away.

"Oh no you don't. You're apart of this family, and you'll like it." They told her as they grabbed her arms, dragging her over to the others.

"Whoa!" She yelled, as they tried to lift her up in the air. It would be cute if they could hold her like a puppy. It was harder with the dress and the cast added a few pounds.

"You're going to drop me." She yelled, as she was suddenly yanked out their grasp by Mori who simply held her in the air as her arms hung by her sides.

"Mori. You can put me down." She told him as he gently lowered her.

"She should sit front of Tamaki."Kyoya told them, as she sank in to the ground on her knees, trying to make sure that anyone walking wouldn't be able to see up her skirt.

"Welcome." They greeted as the girls filed in, starting the usual small talk, as Mikan slid off the floor carrying a tray around filled with the teapot and cups.

"Is it safe for her to be doing such tasks?" a girl asked Karou as they sat drinking the most delicious commoner tea.

"Our puppy is very stubborn.' The twins smiled, "She bit us twice today you know."

The girls turned to glance at the pink haired maid as she limped about.

"Do you think its ill breeding?" One commented

"Do you not approve of Kyoya's taste?" Hikaru asked

"Yes you are insulting a host." Kaoru continued, as the girl flushed, "No of course not I think she's a wonderful puppy, perhaps she simply needs more training."

"We don't mind when she bites. It doesn't hurt us at all." They smiled, "We're quite used to biting."  
The girls swooned screaming 'KYA!"

"Does she do tricks?" one asked eagerly clasping her hands together.

They smiled, "Of course. That was the first thing we taught her. Watch her play fetch."

Hikaru picked up a small teacup as Kaoru called out, "FETCH PUPPY!" as he tossed the teacup to where she was standing.

The teacup rolled and clattered against the floor, now chipped from the impact. Mikan glanced at her feet, as she picked it up placing it on her tray.

"See." The twins smiled, "She is very well trained." Not noticing how the puppy had begun to bristle throwing them dirty looks in between her sweet smiles.

"What else can she do?" the girls inquired now interested to see the commoner perform.  
"What do you want her to do?" Hikaru smiled as Kaoru snapped his fingers, "Here Puppy."  
She took her time, serving the other tables first before she stopped at theirs.

"Sit puppy." They ordered expecting her to simply drop to the floor. Instead, she shrugged plopping straight onto Hikaru lap, crushing his legs as he let out a gasp of annoyance at the sudden added weight.

"NO PUPPY!" They yelled together smacking her on the head, as Hikaru added a second swat for good measure onto her nose.

He found his hand a minute late in her mouth as she chomped down hard. The table was silent for a minute, and then, "SHE BIT ME! THE PUPPY BIT ME! I HAVE RABIES! I'm FULL OF DISEASES! I"LL DIE! QUICK SOMEONE GET THE RABID MUTT OUT OF HERE!" He stood up pushing the chair away; as she pushed herself up to avoid hitting the floor with a loud thump.

The girls squealed holding onto each other crying out, "Poor poor Hikaru!" as another yelled to, "GET HER AWAY! QUCIK! QUICK!"

Mikan stared in confusion as she sat down the tray on the table to avoid another accident, before glancing down at Hikaru who was rolling on the floor now moaning in pain, "The light is fading."

The girls stopped their chatter, at such a dramatic line, as they realized then once again something exciting was happening.

"Kyoya-sempi shouldn't something be done about the puppy?"  
He smiled at the princess as she stared at him with worried eyes, "Of course, proper measure will be taken. Mori please come remove the puppy."

The giant was seen a moment later with Mikan over his shoulder as Honey scolded her over and over about how she shouldn't bite people.

"His hand was right there." was the last thing that was heard until the club doors slammed shut.

"What's going to happen to Mikan?" Haruhi asked as Kyoya only smiled his usual calm smile, "Nothing really. It just seems the guests look at her as a threat."

"WHAT! YOU'RE GETTING RID OF MIKAN!" Tamaki yelled as the girls gasped, as some tended to Haruki and Karou or gathered around Tamaki.

"You won't get rid of the puppy will you?" a girl asked, "She's so sweet. I'm sure she just didn't know any better."

"Yes." a unified call of girls rang out.

"But she bit Hikaru. She could be full of disease.," another girl pointed out as Haruhi sighed.

I don't have any diseases, she thought to herself as Kyoya spoke above the rest.

"I can assure you I made sure she was vaccinated."

But the girls seemed to preoccupy of rather Mikan aka the puppy was a dangerous part of the host club.

"She could bite one of us."

"MIKAN HAS NEVER BITTEN ME!" A blonde yelled out.

"Yui's right. We see her everyday." Her friend agreed.

"Maybe that's because she's been waiting for the perfect opportunity."

The girls began to chat among themselves, as they seem to split over keeping the puppy or ridding of her.

"Enough, we will keep the puppy. She will just have to be better trained." Tamaki interjected," Besides if we get rid of her. Where will she go? Who will look after her?"

Haruhi sighed, glad to know that Mikan was nowhere near to see this as Tamaki floated around the room.

"But Milord, what if she had bitten you? If a dog bites it's master should it not be rid of?" The twins asked as Kaoru wrapped his arms around Hikaru.

"It's okay brother I'm here now. She won't be able to bite you again."

"It's our fault really." A girl sighed, as she twirled her brown hair as her friends gasped, "We just wanted to see the puppy do some tricks."

"No. It's not your fault." Tamaki clasped her hands in his, as she turned away flushed, "It is ours. The host club. We have failed-"  
Haruhi was very glad indeed that Mikan was not here to see this.

"Where did Mori take her?" she asked aloud, though she didn't get an answer.

* * *

"Mori please put me down."

"Shh, bad puppy!" Honey swatted her on the head.

"Honey that wasn't nice." Mikan commented as Mori slid her off setting her down by a tree.

"Stay puppy." Honey ordered as he sat in front her.

"No." She answered as lifted herself up off the ground and began to walk away.

"Takashi quick stop her." Honey begged as he tugged on his arm.

Mori glanced at Honey but as he went to lift Mikan she turned and hissed, "Not this time buster. You hauled me through the school halls all the way out to the garden. If you want to lift something go lift some weights."

He stopped, before raising an eyebrow and easily lifting her up in the air holding her at an arms length.

"Stay." He said simply before he sat her back down on the ground.

She sighed, picking at the blades of grass as she sprawled her legs on the grass letting her thighs stretch. My god, she thought to herself a midget and a giant is holding me hostage, what a twisted turn of events.

"Oh I'm so sorry Mikan-chan, please don't be sad." Honey cried as he hugged her around the waist. She stared up at the tree rolling her eyes, "It's fine Honey. Really. I just get tiered sometimes of being treated like a puppy."

"But you are a puppy." He started.

She slapped a hand against her face as shook her head giggling, "Right. You do realize they provoked me."

"They provoked you?" Honey repeated as he crawled back to sit with Mori who sat still looking down at her or maybe the grass. She couldn't tell.

"Yep." She answered with a shrug, "He waved his hand in front of my face, and I'm sorry to say it looked like a bone."

"Oh that makes sense right Mori?" Honey asked as he stared up at his friend who gave a slight nod of his head.

"So does he say anything, -ever?" Mikan asked as she glanced at Mori who stared back meeting her eyes. Creepy she decided looking away instead at the tree branches.

"Sometimes." Honey smiled, "He doesn't like to really talk to anyone."

She nodded again, "So can we go back yet?"

"No." Honey answered, "Kyoya asked us to take you out-"

"Oh in that case let's go get something to eat, I'm starving." Mikan smiled, "Isn't your tummy hungry?"

Honey felt his stomach growl; "We could go get some noodles from Rita-San shop."

"Is it close by?" Mikan asked raising an eyebrow

"Of course." Honey answered as stood up, "The limo will take us. But wait will you be able to buy anything-" He paused, "You could take us to a commoners noodle shop."

"Sure." She answered, "Haruhi was telling me about this place she eats at all the time."

Honey led as he clambered into the limo and Mikan watched as Mori ducked low enough to fit in, "Wow. That's impressive." She commented as she followed in taking a seat and the limo pulled out.

* * *

Haruhi sat on the couch, watching uninterested as a battle had unfurled between Tamaki and the twins, as the girls argued for one or the either.

He sighed, his head beginning to thrum with a dull pain.

"I'm the king and I say we keep her."

"Then we'll quit." The twins retorted, "We don't want to be injured by the mongrel again."

"But she's so cute." some cried

"We'll be next.," someone yelled and it started all over again.

"Are you going to put an end to this soon?" He asked as he turned to Kyoya.

"And ruin all this wonderful drama?" He asked, "No of course not. This will make our club exceedingly popular. Besides these things have a way of working themselves out organically."

"YOU DON"T HAVE THE GUTS TO QUIT!" Tamaki started

"WATCH US!" The twins answered, but the girls would rush them with pleas for them to stay.

"We only come because of you.' They told them as the twins watch Tamaki fume.

"All right. We could stick around here a little longer." They answered smiling at each other.

"How disgusting."

Haruhi glanced at the voice, "Hey."

"Hey. Want some noodles, there from that odddles of noodles-"Mikan offered as she held a Styrofoam bowl and fork, "Picked up your favorites."

"Thanks." Haruhi smiled as he dug in, "So good."

"We ended up going because Honey was hungry and Kyoya had said to take me out." Mikan explained as she slurped down more noodles, "I tell you that kid can pack away some noodles. He ordered ten bowls after his first. Couldn't get enough-"

Haruhi nodded as he stuffed more noodles into his mouth, "Yum."

"So glad you told me about this place." Mikan smiled, "I don't think Mori was happy, but it's hard to tell. He was stuck carrying like two huge bags filled with ten different bowls of noodles for Honey. I tried to get him to try some, but he kept refusing. "

Haruhi nodded again as she yawned, "Good to have you back. They've been fighting about you since you were carried out."

"Really?" MIkan asked as she giggled," What about?"

"Whether to keep you, the mongrel, as the twins put it or to get rid of you." Haruhi explained, "Apparently there split between getting bitten or the fact that you're cute."

"Fascinating." Mikan snorted as she suddenly raised her head, "You know what's weird, I noticed that the rich seem to be addicted to commoner food."

"You should see Tamaki. He loves all cheap snacks we get out the vending machines." Haruhi laughed as she ate more noodles.

"YOU!" The twins yelled as they turned to Mikan who sat sipping her noodles, "YOU SICK MONGREAL WE TOLD YOU TO GET OUT!"

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Tamaki yelled back as the girls swooned on either side.

"All right now they're giving me a headache."

Mikan glanced over as Haruhi clutched his head, "Do you want some Aleve?"

"Yes. That might help." He admitted as Mikan walked away slamming the door behind her.

"PUPPY! COME BACK PUPPY!" Tamaki yelled running out the doors.

"Yes, please come back!" the girls followed after the king as the halls became a mass of yellow.

The twins shrugged at the now empty room sitting on the couch on either side of Haruhi, "We're bored again."

"After all of that your bored again?" Haruhi asked amazed sitting back, "You two are amazing."

"AWWW! Haruhi that's the nicest thing you've ever said to us!" They smiled as she choked from there arms crushing his windpipe.

"Do you hear that?" He asked as a commotion sounded from outside.

"What do we care?" The twins shrugged leaning back.

"I thought you two said you were bored-"Haruhi started

"We are." They smiled, "but not that bored as to see what the commotion is."

"Ah." He nodded to lazy himself to see.

The door flung itself open as Mikan was once again carried in by Mori across his shoulder as Honey talked about how a puppy shouldn't run off because they hadn't given her permission, as Mikan retorted she was a puppy and didn't know how to listen as Tamaki cried behind for them "to put the poor creature down."

"I don't want to die." Mikan told him, but no one seemed to understand it. She rolled her eyes looking between fed up and amused, fingered something in her hand before she raised herself up by her hands off Mori's back, enough to chuck a small pill bottle to Haruhi who glanced at the label, Aleve.

"DON"T TAKE IT!" The twins yelled snatching it away, "THE PUPPY IS A DRUG DEALER!"

They smiled please at each other, as they watched the girls go wild as they had returned finding that Mori had carried the puppy back. There were squeals of terror and excitement from outside, as Kyoya announced that the host club would close ten minutes early due to the mishap with their puppy, "If you return tomorrow, you will find she has been sent to training, we hope to have her back by the end of the week."

The girls all glanced at each other as they dispersed back into the hall giggling and chatting as they texted on the phone, before the two oak doors shut.

"Can I get down now?" She asked as Honey smacked her again, saying "No. Not until Kyoya says so."

'Honey what did I say about hitting me?" She asked glaring down rubbing her now sore head.

His eyes filled with tears as he ran around to the front of Mori hugging her leg, "I'm sorry Mikan-chan, please don't be mad."

She yawned, "I'm not angry Honey."

"Mori you may set the Puppy down by Haruhi." Kyoya told him, as Mori lifted her off, and she slid to sit at Haruhi's feet.

"Where you belong." The twins smiled down at her.

"Don't you start-"She hissed as she grabbed the pill bottle that sat on the floor, "Did you get to take some, it will help your headache."

"Thanks." Haurhi smiled as he popped two of the pills before handing the bottle back to her on the floor.

"Oh puppy's a drug dealer." The twins teased in a sing song voice, "Is this how you afford food?"

"Meh. I strip dance for that. " She shrugged, 'Puppy's tiered."

She stretched out on the floor closing her eyes as she rested her head on her arms, sighing.

"Why don't you look that cute Haruhi?' The twins asked as Haruhi rolled his eyes.

"I didn't realize you guys watched me while I slept."

"Creepers." Mikan commented laughing from the floor.

"How can you forgive them!" Tamaki asked as he knelt by her, ripping his hair.

"See Milord. She knows who she serves-GAH!" Hikaru started until he leapt into the air and Mikan rubbed her eyes, "I warned you."

"You didn't have to bite my ankle!" He yelled, as Tamaki only laughed at them.

"Good puppy." He patted her head.

"It's not a good idea to encourage bad behavior, Tamaki-sempi," Honey warned from across the room as he dug into the cake he had been forced to leave. Tamaki froze turning to ash, and smacking Mikan hard on the head instead as she moaned, "Ow."

"Ahh! I'm so sorry." He started again, "So sorry-"

"Forget it." She snapped, "I forgive you. I'm a puppy."

"Host club is finished for the day." Kyoya announced, "Unfortunately for you, Haruhi, your debt has increased due to the twins lack of control over the puppy."

Haruhi smacked his forehead as he sighed how that even worked out was sure beyond the grapples of his mind. He would work off the debt eventually.

"Mikan clean up." He ordered as he walked out the door an ashy Tamaki in tow, "Come on Idiot, you may want to shape up before your fans see you."

"See you tomorrow." Mikan said as she waved to the twins and Haruhi as they grabbed their bags, "Hopefully it will be a little less eventful tomorrow."

Though it's highly unlikely she thought to herself as she began to stack the teacups and saucers.

* * *

Oh what's going to happen? I know! you don't! Laughs again. PLease review or fav! Thanx so much.


	9. Strange Behavior

okay sersiously, I really appreaciate all the corrections I've been getting, they help me alot. I'm not perfect, but some more encouragment, if you people like this story would be nice also. Just a word or two like nice chapter, can't wait. Keeps me writing. Thanx to those who've corrected and those who've encouraged and those who've fav'd. Remeber to check out the story art, link in my profile.

On wards.

Disclaimer: own nothing but my oc's

* * *

Chapter Nine Strange Behavior

Kyoya had been sleeping peacefully, until his phone rang.

He smacked his lips, yawning before reaching for his cell, "Tamaki."

He didn't even want to look at the time, as the host club king began to ramble to him.

"What should we do Kyoya? She bit them twice! Custom dictates we get rid of her, but she so cute and costumers love her-"

"I told you I'm sending her to training." He explained, "She'll understand what she can do and not do when she returns, though I suggest as host club king that you should educate-" He yawned again, "the rest of the members on how to take care of a puppy."

"Your right! We adopted with little to no knowledge how to take care of her!" Tamaki seemed to be in deep serious thought, "Tomorrow we will begin class. We can host it to everyone, it will be an educational experience."

"Perhaps we should begin a competition, whoever get's the puppy to do the most tricks wins." Kyoya smiled to himself.

'NO! Even better, we shall each of the host's spend time with Mikan, because Puppy's need time to get to now their masters, and then we shall have a grand showcase where we show off our newly trained puppy."

"Sounds wonderful, we'll charge tickets-"Kyoya yawned realizing that Tamaki had taken his joke seriously.

"How are you going to train her? We can't send her to a dog trainer-" Tamaki continued as Kyoya sighed. He wasn't going to have her trained, it was too much money. He knew she had a series of doctor appoinments to attend so she would have been missing out on club activities anyways.

"Tamaki, please I have it all worked out. Go to sleep."

"But I can't sleep now!" He yelled into the phone as Kyoya winced, "You have to help me research!"

"Tomorrow." He answered, "You get a jump start on it."

"Right. I have to go Kyoya, so much to do and only four hours to do it." Tamaki voice answered as the line went dead.

"Four hours." Kyoya moaned as he tried to go back to sleep, "I have to stop leaving my phone on at night."

* * *

Tamaki read through the various website as his golden retriever laid at the foot of his bed. He rubbed the dogs ears, "You would never bite me."

The dog yawned, as Tamaki turned back to the computer, typing and compiling away.

"Dog tricks, dog food, dog walking-" He read through, "I didn't know so much went into take care of a dog."

He always had people to take care of his dog for him. He suddenly realized something very exciting, "I will be taking care of my puppy! It's like we're commoners!"  
His dog woofed before laying back down.

"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." He rubbed his dog, "Now to compile all this information."

* * *

Tamaki felt his eye twitch several hours later from staring at the bright screen in the dark room. His dog, licked his face as he petted him saying, "No. No. Tea now."  
His dog whined, yawning.

"No. I'll have tea later."

'TAMAKI-SAN! YOU"LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!"

"Ahhh! School! I forgot about school!" Tamaki screamed as he leapt out of bed, grabbing his computer as he sprinted down the stairs.

"Tamaki you are still in you pajama's."  
He paused halfway on the grand staircase sprinting back up stairs as he threw on his uniform. and combed through his hair. He had to look decent for his fans.

"Good bye. I shall be back later." He called to his dog.

His dog only barked as it wagged its tail.

He stuffed the computer in his briefcase as he headed back down the stairs, stopping by the kitchen long enough to scarf down a piece of toast and glass of orange juice.

"I thought you would want more to eat Tamaki-san."

"No not today." He answered as he rushed out, as the chef began to empty the other dishes he had prepared shaking his head.

"Tamaki-san will you require the limo today?"

"Yes thank you." He answered as he rushed through the large front oak door to the gravel drive way as the driver quickly opened the door.

He slid in, breathing quickly trying to catch his breath, "Hurry please driver."

"Hai." he answered as he started the limo, pulling out. Tamaki couldn't help but smile to himself. He had done it. They would all be so impressed.

"We're not doing it."

He felt his eye twitch, as he glared at the twins. "Why not?"

"It's stupid."

"You need to learn how to take care of her-" Tamaki pointed over to Mikan who was sitting with Haruhi.

"We now how to take care of her." Hikaru insisted.

"Did I mention it's a competition?" Tamaki asked

The twins glanced at each other, "Competition?"

Tamaki nodded, "Yes, whoever can train Mikan the best, wins."

"Wins-"they gestured for him to go on.

"Uh-"Tamaki glanced around as the twins smiled.

"To use Mikan for a day!" They suggested, "To do whatever they want."

"Wait! No!" Tamaki started

"No Milord. That's the deal, let the games begin." The twins shrugged running over to Mikan.

"Kyoya help me out." Tamaki pleaded as the shadow king glanced up from his pad, "Hikaru! Karou! Come here!"

The twins stopped mid step sulking back over, "Yes shadow king?"

"The competition has rules you understand. A complete list of requirement will be handed out to the hosts this afternoon." Kyoya explained as he returned to his pad, "And of course you should let Mikan now what to expect."

"What if she says no?" Karou asked

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, "What if she does?"

The twins smiled as they resumed their walk over to their favorite new toy as Tamaki sat next to Kyoya, "Let me show you all the research. I even put it into a multi media presentation."

"Tamaki that is a power point with a few graphics." Kyoya told him glancing half interested at the screen, "And I am having a dog trainer come to explain proper care."

"But-but-I did all this research-"Tamaki started.

"That is a complied mess. It will be easier to let an actual dog trainer explain." Kyoya answered as he returned to his pad. An shadow suddenly appeared above him as a very cross Mikan looked down.

"I'm a maid, not a puppy. What's all this business about being trained?" She asked

"You need to be trained." Kyoya answered with a shrug, "And no you cannot back out. If you do I will forfeit all the benefits you have with staying with the club."

She was quiet for a minute, because she knew he meant it. And it was a lovely perk not paying for new $60 Pointe shoes every three weeks.

"Fine, but you train on my schedule." She huffed turning away grumbling to herself.

"Puppy-"Tamaki started to go after her, as Kyoya forced him to sit.

"No. That's part of the problem. You cuddle her. You have to remind her who the master is."

"Your right. I must be stronger!" He sighed, "Like Haruhi! Haruhi would never stand for such behavior."

"Kyoya what's this about a competition?" Honey asked as flounced over Mori in tow. Kyoya took another bite of his lunch, "An announcement will be sent out today."

As Tamaki instead gladly plunged into what would be taking place in a few days, before Honey yawned running away.

"Come on Takashi. You to confusing Tamaki-sempi." Honey complained walking away asking Mori if they could go and have some cake as Tamaki slammed his head onto the table.

"I have failed."

"Em-hmm." Kyoya agreed. he glanced around pinpointing various costumers and seeing what the general reaction was whenever, Mikan happened to pass by.

"I heard she had rabies." A girl told her friend who smacked her on the head.

"Yui! She's our friend! What a horrible thing to say."

"But Momo-look at her. Not even the host club will sit near her." Yui answered

Kyoya perked listening to the girl that were standing behind him, before they walked on towards Mikan.

"Hi Mikan."

She glanced at them, "Oh so I'm not diseased."

They looked guilty at each other.

"We're sorry Mikan." Yui started

"It's just that, well we didn't know if you could get desies from another human. We knew you could from animals." Rai began

"So I'm an animal-"Mikan prompted.

"No, no-" Momo interjected.

Mikan rolled her eyes, "It's fine you guys really. You've had all your shots right?"

The girls blinked.

"I mean, I don't want to get sick."

"I have." Yui raised her hand, as Momo and Rai glanced at each other before yanking out there phones.

"Hello, Mother. Yes have I had all my shots?" Momo asked as she walked away leaving her lunch at the table as Rai sat texting.

Yui was only one who stood, "Uh, Rai. I don't think we should sit here."

"Why not-" Rai started until she glanced up realizing she was right across from Haruhi, "Ahh! So sorry. We'll leave now."

'Wait-" Mikan started, but they ran off faster than what was probably considered humanly possible, "Do you guys always sit with yourselves?"

Haruhi shrugged,"Yeah. Its some unspoken rule that no one is supposed to sit with the host club."

"That's silly." Mikan commented as she bit into her sandwich, "Do they always make such a big deal out of everything?"

"Well, I haven't been in the club as long as everybody else, but from what I've seen they have a flare for the dramatic."

"Ah." Mikan nodded, "Oh speaking of the dramatic here the drama kings of the host club."

"Did you miss us?" The twins asked as they shoved Mikan over to sit with Haruhi.

"If I had to give an honest opinion." She started

"We weren't speaking to you puppy." They answered turning back to Haruhi.

Haruhi only shrugged, "You were only gone for a few minutes."

"Ouch." Mikan commented as she continued to munch on her sandwich, "So has your ego recovered from the episode yesterday?"

They glared, "Why yes puppy, though we went to the hospital."

"Why?" She asked raising an eyebrow, "Oh wait your pregnant aren't you?"

They blinked, "Stop with such bad thoughts." Before Hikaru rapped her over the head. She sighed, glancing as they began to joke with each other and Haruhi, before she pushed herself up from the table.

She needed to go outside for a minute. She thumped past the tables quickly ignoring the whispers, rolling her eyes as she pushed open the doors to the smooth patio sitting on the cement.

She looked down at her sandwich taking another small bite, as she began to contemplate just what she meant to these boys.

"I'm probably just another toy, for them to play with until they get bored." She decided taking another bite, "Might as well make it last." It had helped her out personally, since she had ripped another pair of tights last night. The tight companies probably made millions, hell she probably run into some kid here, who owned half the tights in Japan.

It was weird though, it was really like she was a puppy. They really just ignored her, or rapped her over the head, laughing if she did something out of anger, because it looked adorable.

Maybe I'm over thinking it again, she thought to herself. They seem to at least tolerate me.

"Mikan?"

She turned to see Tamaki standing over her "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She answered, "Just wanted some air. I didn't like all the looks I've been getting."

"Looks?" He asked as he sat beside her on the patio as she nodded.

"Yeah. They really think I have rabies." She explained, "It's silly, but I hear whispers. Like oh there the rabid dog goes. Really silly shit."

She could feel him staring at her intensely as she kept her eyes focused on the ground, taking another bite of her sandwich.

Dear god Mikan whatever you do, don't cry. She blinked her eyes, "Hey look a butterfly."

She took off into the bushes leaving Tamaki to sit by himself as she brushed past the flowers and prickly vines.

"Okay, not my best idea." She muttered to herself as she glanced around, she must be in some kind of garden.

"Hey puppy!"

She glanced over eyeing who had called her out. A few older boys eating there lunch with a some of the girls she had seen at the club on a bench.

"Here puppy, treat for you." one of them called as she threw the crust of the bun she was eating.

Mikan watched it soar landing nowhere near her, before she turned and walked on.

"See-the hittichain brothers said she needed to be trained-"

She blocked it out or tried to. It never really worked, so she ran on.

"Stupid cast!" She cursed dragging it through the wet grass. She glanced around again, still more bushes, a fountain. She must have been pretty far in by now.

She sighed limping over to the fountain as she covered her eyes as the tears began to fall.

She wiped them away angrily, "What the hell are you upset about. Nothing. They're just teasing. Teasing."

She knew it to, but it didn't mean it hurt. She glanced at her hands. The bandages had been taken off, now her hands were simply a nice bright red.

"Didn't even ask me how I was doing." She sighed realizing that no one, not even her girl friends had asked how she was doing since the accident. She knew it was probably not intentional, but it would have been nice, to get at least one how are your hands.

It was like her friend, Beth always said, no one thinks you're really injured unless you got a bandage or cast on.

She sighed, that was probably it. A combination of dance and the club. It was hard for her right now, because going to the classes was only half of it, she was going to have to go everyday to get her leg back in shape and even then it would be another year until she got back up to the level she was at.

Her right leg throbbed from all the exercise her therapist had forced her to do, though she knew it was to keep it from going to weak.

She wiped her eyes again sniffing; she probably should head back before Tamaki did something back.

"Puppy!"

She jolted at the sudden cry of her new name, before leaning over the fountain trying to see her reflection in the water. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she needed Tamaki or Honey pouring over why the heck she had been crying.

She threw her head quickly into the fountain, as she pulled it out shaking, calling back, laughing asking "Yeah?"  
"Puppy!" Honey cried as he threw his small arms around her neck, "Tamaki-sempi came in all in a panic, because you had run off."

"To catch a butterfly." Mikan answered

"Why are you all wet?" Honey asked as he released her from his embrace. She wringed out her sopping wet head, shaking off the best she could.

"Trying to see if there were fishes." She answered with a small half smile.

"Come on, the bell already rang." Honey told her as he grabbed her hand and she thumped behind.

"Here."

She glanced feeling her heart jump at the sight of Mori, he was like a statue always so silent, so still, and he popped out of no where, as he handed her bag off.

"Thanks." She answered as Honey continued to pull her through a twisting path.

"We found her. See I told you Mori would be able to spot her over the hedges." Honey smiled as he emerged from the bushes dropping Mikan's hand.

"Why are you wet?" the twins asked, they stood with there arms crossed.

"I was trying to see if there were fishes in the fountain." She answered rolling her eyes as she gave her hair another wring.

"Ahh! Puppy! You had us so worried." Tamaki yelled glomping her in a hug.

"Tamaki-sempi you'll get wet." She warned as she sucked in as much breath as she could before he released her.

"Sorry." He apologized, "Why are you wet?"

"She was trying to see if there-" Karou started

"Were fish in the fountain." Hikaru finished, before they glanced at each other.

"But we think she's lying." They answered together as they glared at her.

She only smiled and shrugged, "I'll be late for class." She pushed past them, as she thumped through the door.

'Hey Haruhi." She smiled, before she walked on. Haruhi watched her go, before turning back to the other members.

"Perhaps we should not hold that competition, until we understand what's wrong-" Haruhi suggested. They paused glancing at each other.

"Is something wrong?" Honey asked Mori who only lifted Honey onto his shoulders and walking in.

Tamaki and the twins glanced at each other, before coming to the same silent conclusion.

"You're a girl, you must go connect with her." Tamaki smiled, as he walked by, "Report back."

"But-" Haruhi started as the twins laughed.

"Poor, poor Haruhi." they smiled.

Yes, poor poor me. She decided with a sigh.

* * *

"So, you want to talk about what's wrong?" Haruhi asked later, as she helped Mikan set up the teacups.

"Besides that I'm addicted to this tea? Nothings wrong." She answered as she set out the saucers. She wasn't in her maid her outfit today; instead she was in a pair of black sweats and a t-shirt. She was supposed to be out on accountant that was she was supposed to be at "training".

"You hate this tea." Haruhi blinked realizing that Mikan was being sarcastic once again.

She only laughed," So, I guess my sister will pick you up."

"Sure." Haruhi smiled as Mikan returned the gesture.

"I guess I better leave before they have another freak out moment." She muttered leaving Haruhi with the tray and limping out the room.

"Did you manage to find out what was wrong?"

Haruhi jumped, turning around, "You guys shouldn't sneak up on people, you gave me an heart attack."

"Eh, did you find out anything?" the twins asked leaning over her.

"No." She answered shrugging.

"No?" They asked gasping, "But you should be able to connect! She didn't say anything? Most girls fall into tears when you ask them what's wrong."

Haruhi blinked raising an eyebrow, "Right. You guys might want to keep researching the female."  
They glared after her, as she went setting out teacups, before they sat on the couch. It was fun to tease Mikan about it, but she was away.

"We're bored." They announced as Honey ate his cake with Mori, and Tamaki waltz in confident as always.

"We will have to continue as we always have, without the use of our puppy." He started, "We will have to be strong, -"

The twins zoned him out sighing, "Milord did you manage to figure out what happened to her?"  
He stopped before he began to sulk, "No alas, she did not revile what troubled her fair mind."

"Us neither." the twins shrugged, "And we're not even sure that Honey realizes something is happening."

"This is a serious problem what do you think it was?" Tamaki asked as he began to pace the floor.

"Maybe we should follow her. We do only see her in the hall, at lunch and the club." The twins glanced at each other, "Do we even know what she does after school?"

"Kyoya always mentions that she has appointments." Tamaki started, "Do you think she's living a double life?"

"Or is stealing things from the school in order to feed her family?" they answered

"Those are prosperous and you know it." Haruhi scolded, but they ignored her as the list continued.

Even when club started the talk was about Mikan as they whispered whenever they happened to pass by what Mikan could be doing. And it was only could spread to the girls.

"So she really is an international jewel thief?" a girl asked as she stirred the tea.

"No." Haruhi answered, "Tamaki-sempi allows his imagination to run off some times."

"Oh." The girls nodded as they sat at Haruhi's table.

"She seemed very upset today, right Momo?"

Haruhi thought they looked familiar they were the girls from lunch.

"Did you ask what was wrong?" She prompted

They glanced at each other, "No."

Haruhi only shook her head, sighing. It wasn't her place though, so she let it slid moving the conversation on to more pleasant topics. When it was the end, She gathered the teacups together, taking them to the nearby kitchen as she washed out and dried before setting them back in the cupboards.

She really wished Mikan was here. It was a lot more enjoyable when there was someone else to do all this grunt work and Mikan seemed to love it.

"So what are we to do? No one seems to know what's wrong with her!" Tamaki started once again, as the remaining members lounged on the scattered furniture.

"No one seems to even know who she is. They all call her puppy." Honey commented as he took the last bite of cake.

"Maybe that just it." Haruhi started, "They seem to do a lot of gossiping, including you guys. "

The twins and Tamaki exchanged a glance, "Nah."

Haruhi rolled her eyes grabbing her bag. She had to get home, with homework and chores, waiting, as she called a quick good-bye over her shoulder. She kept looking at the floor that she glanced up realizing she wasn't at the entrance. This school could be so confusing some days.

"I probably should have taken a right back there." She muttered to herself looking around. She was in some sort of random hallway with a couple doors to the left, and at least three long mirrors on the right side of the wall. There was no one except for a lone guy standing looking in. She recognized him, because of his glasses. It was Kyoya.

"Kyoya-san?" She asked walking up to the shadow king cautiously.

"Haruhi." He answered. She blinked, as he seemed to be staring at nothing.

"I didn't realize they had a mirror here." She commented as she stood next to him.

"Is there something you need?" He asked not taking his eyes off the mirror.

"Yes, I just got lost." She explained

"Take your first left, second right." He answered pointing her in the right direction. She blinked turning back once more, but he was already walking back up the hall.

"Strange." She thought, but shrugged it off.

* * *

whew. Another chapter over. Oh the drama. Review or fav or face the wrath of the puppy! lolz


	10. PMS and Misconceptions

thanx to my beta who got this chap before she went away for the summer.

lordy, and to all the people who've fav'd or review, i really really love it. The story may move a little slow but I promise it's worth it

enjoy another chap!

* * *

Chapter Ten

"Momo."

"What Yui?" She asked as she painted her toenails.

"Do you think we're bad friends?" Yui asked as she braided her hair, yanking clothes of hangers.

"No." Momo answered slowly, "Why?"

"Well, there's just all that gossip about Mikan, and I know we talk to, but we are supposed to be her friend." Yui continued

"I don't know. It's a compliment to be talked about." Momo pointed out, "We've had plenty rumors about us."  
"Yeah, but we didn't like it." Yui answered as Momo sighed.

"This hurts my head. I guess it's different because she's poor." Momo went on, "So she's not used to it."

"Oh." Yui nodded, "That makes sense. We should take her out, teach her, you know how to fit in a little more."

"Starting with that ridiculous skirt." Momo laughed, "She looks so funny every time-"

"Momo!" Yui scolded, "I like her skirt. You might hurt her feelings if you insult her clothing. Did you forget how expensive the uniform is?"

Momo blushed, "My head hurts from all this thinking. Maybe we should just be her friends. Even friends gossip about each other."

"True." Yui nodded, "Where's Rai?"

"Didn't she have that party over in France?" Momo asked

"Oh yes." Yui agreed, "Speaking of which did you hear, about who was invited."

"No do tell." Momo smiled as she clicked open her phone, "I'll just text Mikan and ask how she's doing."

"Good idea. So anyway she actually had the nerve. Can you believe it." Yui sighed as she dumped another sweater onto the bed. It was the monthly trading of outfits, since she wouldn't be able to shop again until the summer.

* * *

"How are you?" MIkan read the message aloud, texting back, "I'm fine."

"That's a lie." a pair of voices called from her doorway.

"Shut up." She hissed, tossing a shoe from her bed at the twins who ducked laughing running down the hall. That was the problem with this house; it was so small they were always around.

The horses had been moved to a nearby boarding farm, so they could be watched over 24/7. The stupid python had managed to get loose from it's cage, so they wouldn't be able to move back in until after the weekend or longer. She was lucky it hadn't eaten Cho, who sat yipping beside her on the bed.

"I know babe." She rubbed her ears, ignoring the homework behind on the desk. She do it in a minute, she had to calm down Kyoya enough to do it.

"What's wrong?" She read it again. It was the fifth time he had asked her through texts.

'Nothing really. I just am feeling pressure from dance with my busted leg, and rehearsals." She typed back. She didn't have to wait long though to receive an answer.

"No. I know it's because of all the gossip the girls are saying. I'm not deaf. Why didn't you say something?"

She blinked, grunting typing back, "Really what was I going to say?"

She read it aloud again, "You should know you can say anything that is bothering you. It part of the host club rules about no bullying."

"Really. Then what can you do?" She asked the phone, typing it in. He answered a minute later.

'Leave that to me. Your at training."

She waited a minute before typing back, "Alright. Nothing dramatic. Perhaps it would be better for me to fade into the back round. I think people are talking because of everything that happened yesterday."

He didn't answer to that at first, then.

"Perhaps." She laughed as she read it before answering, "Way to- be straight forward. How long until-I gets to come back."

"After this weekend." She read smiling.

"Cool beans." She smiled smacking her lips, "Doing homework."

"Bye.' Came the answer as she clicked her phone shut only to have it ring a moment later.

"Hello?" She asked

"Hi, it's Haruhi."

"Hey. What's up?" Mikan asked, as she moved her notebooks onto her bed.

"I need to give you an address to my house." She explained

"Ah. Let me write it down." Mikan answered scribbling it down into her homework journal, "Thanks. Ah what time do you want me to pick you up?"

"How about noonish?" Haruhi answered," I should be up and done with chores."

"Oh same here." Mikan answered, "My brothers are going to be out of town this weekend so I have their share."

"More fun to you." Haruhi answered, "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah." She nodded, "You okay?"

"Yeah. Lot of homework to do."

"Same here. Guess I'll talk to you later." Mikan finished as she clicked the phone shut, "He is so cute."

But there was no time for boys right now, even adorable boys.

"He's probably gay." She commented to herself, "Or at least the way Tamaki seems to hang on him."

"Mikan you're talking to yourself again." Kagame called from the room across the hall, "Try and keep those crazy thoughts of yours in your head."

"Sorry.' She answered as she opened her textbook, sighing as she began the night's problems. Why the hell did this school require so much math? She sucked at math. Sucked at more then Biology and Spanish combined.

"Kagame do you understand this problem?" She yelled to her sister.

"All I learned in school fell out to the pavement the day I finished high school. So no." Kagame answered as she turned the music louder on her stereo carrying it over to Mikan's room, picking up her phone and scanning through her phone.

"What's all this Hru? going on? Wow the shadow king texted you?"

MIkan sighed, reaching for her phone and hiding it under her pillow, "He take's care of his investments. And the others from my friends, Momo, Rai, and Yui."

"None of the other guys thought to text you?" Kagame pushed

"Trust me, I'm sick of people asking me how I am, because I'm fine." Mikan sighed, "It's just that these girls, at the school talk about me like I am a puppy. Like I do have dieses and shit."

"Damn. The rich get bored easily don't they? I wonder what drugs there on or maybe it's that whole cosplay thing. It's really big here in Japan you know." Kagame answered laying on the bed as her stereo blasted loud music on the floor.

"I know, but I didn't think that cosplay was every day, stuff.' Mikan answered, "It's mostly for Magna's."

"Ah. Well maybe the host club is like their live action magna." Kagame offered picking at her nails.

"Maybe." Mikan nodded, "Anyways, no, I had slight melt down today. You know you get sick of the whispers, but I didn't want to hurt anybody, and I felt like I was going to cry, so I ran off. And this girl threw a "treat" at me, like crust from her bun."

"Damn, how cheap of her. Next time you should demand for at least half the lunch." Kagame snorted as Mikan laughed.

"I know right. So I sat by this fountain to cry, and I hear them calling for me, so I dunk my head in the fountain and go around with a wet head."

"Why did you dunk your head?" Kagame asked truly surprised.

"I didn't want them to get all upset about me crying. I cry to much in front of them." She explained, "I told them I was hunting, no I 'm sorry, looking for fishes."

"So you're just being hormonal?" Kagame prompted after a minute.

"I guess." Mikan yawned, "Just general stress with homework and dance and getting this leg in shape."

"Ah, general Mikan stuff. See you need to get smarter girl friends. I think you forget how to be a girl with all these guys." Kagame told her, as she yanked out a piece of jerky from her pocket, "Oh jerky. Wondering where that went off to."

"Yeah. But there great guys for the most part." Mikan answered," Sometimes I have to wonder if I'm just a toy for them."

"You probably are in some ways." Kagame answered as she tore off a chunk of the jerky, "But that doesn't mean your not still friends. I had a guy who always loved to just hug me and play with me, but he told me half his life story if I asked for it. Seems to me they care a lot, they're just a little shallow."

"Who the girls or the guys?" Mikan asked confused

"Both." Kagame answered, "Except maybe for Kyoya and this, Haruhi you were lusting over. "

"I was not lusting." Mikan answered affronted, "I just think he's sweet. He was the only one who helped me when I got tea on my arms. They're all gorgeous. Except maybe Honey, he's just adorable."

"Honey? Who name's there kid Honey?" Kagame laughed," Let's see, Tamaki, Kyoya, Haruhi, Honey, -"

"The twins, and Mori." Mikan finished, "He's scary."

"Whose scary?" another voice asked from her doorway.

"Hey Ayumi, are you going to be here long enough to talk with your sisters." Kagame asked as Ayumi huffed plopping on the other side of Mikan.

"Of course. Are you talking about Mori, who always hanging with that guy who looks like he could be in first grade?" Ayumi asked as she stole of some Kagame's jerky, "Good Jerky."

"I know." Kagame smiled as she swallowed another large piece.

"Yeah. You heard of him?" Mikan asked

"Duh." Ayumi answered, "Everybody who anybody has at least heard of the host club. Nobody's interested of course, but we hear plenty of stories of what happens with the drama."

"Don't believe half of it." Mikan snorted, "They'll have you thinking your sister is a jewel thief."

"Wow. Really?" Ayumi asked

"Yep. So back to Mori, he's really scary, because he just pop's out of no where." MIkan explained.

"He does that." Ayumi agreed

"How tall is he?" Kagame asked

"Really tall. Like 6"4 or something crazy." Mikan answered, "Alright up and out. I have homework to do before I go to class. Kagame are you driving again?"

"Sure." She answered, " I have a few things to pick up from my favorite art store."

"Get me glue. I have a project due in a week." Ayumi ordered as she rolled off Mikan's bed, "Man I can't wait to get back to our house."

"This place ain't so bad." Kagame called after her as she grabbed the stereo, "You think we're living in poverty because of a two story house."

"Eh. Bigger than what lived in before Mom was rich. I'm not used to be near you guys again." Mikan smiled as laid her head down on the bed.

"I know. So weird." Kagame laughed, "Mikan, just one more time, are you sure your all right?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes." She cried covering her eyes, "I'm just hormonal and stressed. Let me get my homework done woman."

"All right." Kagame shrugged as she shut the door taking her blasting music away, as Mikan's phone rang once more.

"Hello?"

"Mikan are you sure your okay?"

"Tamaki?' She asked sitting up surprised, "Hi, yeah, why?"

"Well, I can understand how a commoner like yourself would not be used to such pressure-"

"Tamaki, today I was just a little stressed and hormonal." Mikan answered cutting him off, "Girls can be like that. Just needed some air."

"Oh." He answered

"Yeah. See you this weekend, all right, and probably tomorrow in the hall or at lunch." She answered

"Yeah. Of course! Good bye, such a good puppy." He said with a baby voice, as she clicked the phone shut, once again, before it began to rang once more.

"Hello?" She asked exasperated

"HI MIKAN!"

It was the twins. What was everybody calling her today?

"I'm fine. I'm stressed and hormonal." She answered

'Oh that's nice." Hikaru started

"But we just wanted to know what time we should come over." Karou finished

"Oh right. Uh noon." She answered quickly,"Hey do you guys know to do the square of triangles."

"Nope.' they answered," Try Honey or Mori. They should now."

"Are you sure they won't be calling me next?" She asked as she attempted another problem.

"Maybe." They answered

'Did Kyoya put you guys up to this?" Mikan asked

"What if we just wanted to prove we could take care of our puppy the best?" They answered "DIBS ON TRAINING YOU FIRST!"

"Oh. Is that it." She answered, rolling her eyes, "Be good boys. I'll see you tomorrow." She clicked the phone shut, scrolling through the list for Honey.

"Hi honey." she greeted as he suddenly screamed back into the phone.

"MIKAN_CHAN CALLED ME!"

"Honey not in my ear." She cried clutching her ear, "Ow. Listen do you remember how to find the area of triangles."

"No, but Takashi does." He answered

"Is he there?" She asked, not knowing if the two lived together.

"No, but if you called him, I'm sure he would love to help you." Honey answered, 'No wait, he doesn't like talking on the phone. Why don't you meet us tomorrow morning? We come extra early for kendo meetings, we can meet at the main entrance."

"Sure." Mikan answered

"Are you okay?' Honey asked

"Yes, Just a little stressed."

"Aww." He cried, "Is it because of math?"

"That's part of it." She answered, "That would be great if he could help. Does he mind?"

"Takashi?" Honey asked, "No of course not. He's really good at triangles."

"Cool beans." Mikan answered," I have to go Honey. I see you tomorrow."

"Bye Mikan chan." He answered

"Oh wait, my house noon." She told him before the line went dead.

"All right. I get help the mute giant do my math homework. Oh boy." She sighed yawning, shoving the notebook to the ground and starting on the next segment.

Cho was curled up beside her. He was so small and tiny it was pathetic.

"Do you think Kyoya-" She started, before Kagame yelled at her again.

"MIKAN! Keep the thoughts in the head."

"Sorry." She answered before she began her next segment of homework.

* * *

Kyoya glanced at the messages on his phone as it began to ring once more.

"Hello Tamaki."

"You said she was torn up in a heap of emotional wreck! She was fine!" Tamaki accused

Kyoya rolled his eyes, "I never said that. I said she seemed a little upset today and as the host club king that you should try and comfort her."

"She didn't need it." Tamaki started

"That's wonderful." Kyoya answered in a deadpan tone, "I needed her to feel that you cared-"

"But we do care. We all care.' Tamaki protested, "She's our puppy! We can't have her feeling neglected. Maybe I should have the limo pick her up personally from now on."

"It may seem like your giving her special treatment. Her job is to be cute and likable, nothing more. That would upset your fans, and we can't have that." Kyoya explained as he wrote something in his pad.

"Your right, but what do we do? I don't want her to be upset-"

"Tamaki did you even listen to her explanation? Girls tend to be a little off the charts with their emotions when they feel stressed." Kyoya started

"But, the princesses are never-"

"That's because they've been taught to keep it private. It wouldn't be proper for them to sob all the time in public. It may tarnish their families reputation." Kyoya explained, "And they don't have a reason to cry when they come to the host club. They come to be entertained."

"Oh." Tamaki answered, "That makes sense. Raising a puppy is hard work."

'Em-hmm."Kyoya nodded, 'that's is why I am having the trainer come. The competition is still on of course."

"It is?" Tamaki asked surprised

"Oh yes. Just because the puppy may had a bad day doesn't mean I'm going to cancel it. We of course have to be able to afford costumes, until I manage to find something else suitable to sell to the costumers."

"WAHOO! The competition is still on."  
"You should have known this." Kyoya commented, "I sent out the flyer to your house."

"I must go see the mail, good bye."

Kyoya clicked the phone shut, sighing. He liked Tamaki, but he was idiot in the biggest way sometimes.

"We call first." He read off the text from the twins.

"Fine." He said as he typed back his answer.

He was going to have to compile a list, set down the rules. He shoved over his homework, now that he had finished the bulk of it, opening his laptop.

* * *

hehehe I'm tiered. Please review or fave! use that finger strength


	11. A Host of Misunderstandings

hey lookit I'm back from the dead. No I went to college and forgot to update. Another chap, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Own nothing but my OC's

* * *

Chapter Eleven A host of Misunderstands

The host club was the most popular club in Ouran High School, but perhaps that was part of the problem. The girls who attended the club seemed to love, no they were addicted to the drama that went along with it.

Their imaginations only needed one small suggestion to go off the deep end as it happened the week before with the whole drama of the pink headed girl, who was now the new ill behaved puppy of the host club.

And it just kept getting better.

"They're staring." Mikan whispered to Honey, who only smiled, waved and turn back to Mikan as he tugged Mori along to the nearest study room.

"It's okay. They just like to see Mori and me. They're our fans." Honey explained

"Ah. Are they going to do this the whole time we study?" She asked as she plopped open the math book and notebook at the nearest far removed table behind some shelves.

"I'm going to go say hi, okay?' Honey asked his tall friend who only responded with a nod as he sat down on the table and Honey disappeared down into the cooing crowd of girls.

"So, I kinda need help with all of it." Mikan blushed as she pushed the book next to him, "I suck at math."

He nodded again as he began to scribble in her note book as she watched.

"Wait , wait. How did you get that?"

He stared at her for minute, before going back and showing and labeling each step.

"Oh." Mikan nodded as she copied, "Oh I see now. How about number 13?"

He glanced at it, reading through, before he created a pile of scribbles with the answer, rewriting so Mikan could understand.

"Okay. So take 5 times 40 divided by pie." She talked to herself, "Thanks. Hopefully this will stick."

He nodded. She laughed, 'Right. So um, do you mind if I meet with you most morning if I have math questions. "

He shrugged.

"Great." She smiled again closing the book, "This is really going to help. Thanks."

He nodded, before getting up himself and walking over to Honey, who smiled.

"Good job Takashi." Honey smiled, "Come on. We'll be late for class."

Mikan couldn't help but laugh as she watched Honey tugged Mori along through the throng of girls, before she followed.

"What was that?"

She glanced at who had asked. A long skinny brunette.

"Um, I was getting help with my math homework." She answered slowly," I suck at math."

"Oh, but why were you personally with him?" She pushed as a few girls joined in behind. Here comes the ground support, Mikan thought as she answered

"He was helping me with my homework."

"Maybe they were making out." A whisper started behind her. Mikan slapped her face sighing, before pushing through, "Excuse me."

The girls refused to budge, as they became more persistent.

"Do you have some kind of special pilverages?"

"Do you have an affair with all the members?"

"Are you really so poor that you have to steal vases?"

She blinked, again with the rumors she sighed.

"No." She shrugged, "I just serve tea to the costumers."

"Really?" The girls pushed.

She was so close to just screaming out, No. I suck their blood, because I'm a 500 year old vampire and use them as my personal slaves at night, but she had to much self restraint for that.

"Yes. Now excuse me, unless you would like to explain to my sensei why I was late to class." Mikan answered as she tried once more to push through.

"Is that a threat?" A ivory hair peacock asked, trying to stare her down.

Mikan felt her fist tighten. No Mikan. No, it 's never worth it.

"No. It's the truth. You can provide an explanation for why I was going to be late for class." Mikan answered.

"Eh, why are you messing with puppy?"

"Ah, but Honey-"the girls started as they turned to see the midget who didn't look happy at all and Mori was emotionless as ever as he stood behind.

"No. You need to be nice to our puppy." He told them sternly, as he grabbed Mikan's hand, "Come on Puppy."

She followed obediently using all her self control not to glance back to see their shocked faces.

"Thank you." She told him as he only smiled back.

"You shouldn't have to worry about mean girls, Mikan-chan. We're supposed to look after our puppy."

"They're not mean, just protective." Mikan answered, "They really don't like you guys having any one girl alone."

Honey shrugged, "I guess not. Did Mori help you?"

"Yeah he was amazing." Mikan laughed glancing back, "Thank you."

Mori only glanced down, and lifted Honey up as they split ways.

'Bye Mikan."

She waved turning the corner, but she wished that Mori and Honey were with her as the peacocks glared.

"Why were you walking with them?" one asked innocently enough.

She had just about enough, but even as she opened her mouth to retort, she felt a shadow above her.

"Hello Mikan. Is there a reason you are not to class yet?"

She turned to see the one and only shadow king as she gulped, "Nope. I better hurry. Excuse me."

The girls moved away, glaring after her, before glancing up at Kyoya as one even dared to pose the same question she had heard so many times before. Mikan paused around the corner, stealing a glance.

"Why does she have special pilverages? She seems to be with the host club every day."

He glanced down, "You are as well, or do I not see that you attend almost everyday to the club. Mikan is a member of the host club, and she is not to be harassed. Or shall I remind you of the school's well known bully policies."

The girls were blushing as they whispered to each other.

"No of course not." The girl answered in a whisper.

'I am glad. See you at the host club." He smiled as the girls once again reverted to their normal cheerful state moving on to their respective classes as he walked down the hall, "I see you Mikan."

She looked at him, "Thank you."  
"I told you I would take care of it. Girls are known to be protective of what they think is theirs." He answered moving on. 'You shouldn't receive anymore trouble."

She sighed relieved. Great now I can actually concentrate without worrying that I won't be jumped by a mob of yellow, she giggled though trying to imagine the mob of yellow crushing her.

* * *

"Hello Haruhi.'

She moaned glancing at the twins terrors on either side of her.

"Hello." She answered yawning pulling out her books, as she caught a snippet of a whisper to the side of her by two girls she reconizeged as Tamaki's costumers only to be screamed out by the twins.

"What do you Mikan was making out with Mori in the library this morning?" They asked

"Well,-" The girls glanced at each other, "We just heard. We don't know if it's true."

Poor Mikan, Haruhi thought to herself, "Then perhaps you shouldn't be spreading those rumors."

The girls looked away, retreating into a corner as they spoke in whispers.

"Can you believe that?" The twins asked her, as they sat on either side.

"No, because it's not true." Haruhi answered, "I think this is why she was so upset yesterday. All the rumors."

"Ah, but the rumors are what keep us popular." Hikaru explained with a shrug.

"You wouldn't believe some of the things that are said about." Karou whispered, before they laughed.

Haruhi buried her head, "I don't think I want to know."

They looked like there were going to add something else, until the bell rang and class began.

It was over to quickly as the twins once again resumed their talk of the latest rumors.

"Yes apparently we're planning to move off to France." Hikaru explained, "But I wouldn't put it past Mikan to make a move. '

"We are irristable." Karou continued as he flipped his hair.

There was a snort as the familiar pink headed puppy passed by, "Yeah, you can't keep your hands off each other."

"You know you want it." They snapped as she only laughed, her friends looking shocked at her, and ogling the twins and Haruhi.

"Mikan how can speak so freely about them?" Yui whispered

"The same way you guys can talk about me being the puppy and making out with half the host club."

Yui shut her mouth quickly, as Rai and Momo exchanged looks.

"You guys should try sitting with us sometimes at lunch." Mikan offered switching subject.

"We couldn't." Momo answered

'So, you guys been up to much?" Mikan asked, "Did you have that party over in France yet?"

'Oh no. I don't leave until today now." Rai went on.

"Then where were you yesterday? On Thursday?" Momo asked

"Oh, last minute shopping, mother wanted to show the most divine ball gown."

"Oh the champagne pink with the ruffles?" Yui asked

"No." Rai answered clicking her tongue, "It was teal with sparkles."

"That sounds gorgeous." Mikan nodded her head as the girls smiled.

"Well, I had to protest, but mom said I absolutely had to." Rai smiled sighing.

"I'll have to come over and see it." Momo told her as they glanced at Mikan.

"Can't, busy." Mikan answered

"Your always busy.' Momo scolded, before she continued making plans with Rai, as Yui said she had to go to go look at some china with her mother.

"My father is coming to visit."

"Oh?" the girls asked.

"He's not been in the country since the last dinner party. Did deals go over well in Italy?" Momo inquired

"Of course. They went so well, that is why he's home early. We're having his business partners over, and mother thought we should have presentable china." Yui answered

"My mom is the same way." Mikan told her, "Do your parents travel a lot Momo?"

"Well my mother has a good bit of dealing with designing Prada. Half Italian you know. And my father is the traditional stocks." She explained, "Though he travel a lot to the states."

"What about you Ria?" Mikan asked, "You're off to France?"

"Qui." She smiled, "To visit my cousins. They are hosting an annual ball for some charity their mother runs, helping out children in the slums. We raised over twenty million last year."

Mikan felt her jaw drop, realizing that must have been simply pocket change for them. "That's amazing."

Her comment was taken in, before they moved in to talk of the latest street fashion that was taking Japan by storm or what shoes Rai should wear tomorrow. Mikan didn't mind it too much, but it wasn't the most thrilling conversation she had heard.

Yet as her mother would have said there was nothing bad with fitting in.

So she sucked it up, taking in everything she could about what they talked about. She was rich now, and it was a different ball game. A different life style.

"Have you guys ever had a frapucchino from starbucks?" She asked

"My mother has had one of those, once in Italia." Rai answered

Mikan could only laugh, "Remind me to take you guys out for coffee."

"Coffee? Is it anything like the commoners tea they serve at host club?" Yui asked

"Nothing like it." Mikan answered as she walked on shaking her head, 'Oh man. If I was still back in the states I could have taken you guys to this great café that was right in town."

"Oh so you moved to Japan?" Rai asked cocking her head

"Oh yeah. Just this past summer." She explained, "I finished up my summer and part of the fall before I transferred."

"That makes sense." Yui nodded her head, "I've been to the states a few times. Mostly New York."

"I went there a couple times as a kid, to visit my aunt." Mikan answered

"Did you see any of the upper east end boutiques? Such clothes. You Americans have very conservitive taste."

"Actually more consignment shops for our visits." Mikan explained, "Upper east side is really pricy. And if your not careful they charge you more then it's worth."

Momo seemed to tug on Yui elbow before they changed topics once again and Mikan took the back seat listening to them chatter.

"How do you like working for the host club?"Yui asked

"I like it enough." She answered, "Can be kind of tedious carrying tea around."

"Ah. Is that all you do? You don't entertain." Momo inquired

"Nope. Just serve tea." Mikan shrugged, "Anything more and I might as well have been a host. But that's silly, because who wants to spend time with a girl, you go for the boys."

"Ah, so you do think they're cute." Rai teased as Mikan rolled her eyes.

"You'd have to be a blind as bat to see that they're not hot." She answered as she heard a sudden retort of, "Mikan, we had no idea."

She glared behind her shoulder, sticking her tongue out at the twins as she walked faster, "Come on class awaits again, gah I have a math next."  
"It's okay Mikan." Yui told her, "We heard that Mori helped you."

"I saw that look." Mikan told them, "No. I did not make out with him, just helping me study. He doesn't say much ever. He actually wrote out all the steps."

"Mori is very quiet.' Momo agreed as the other two nodded.

"It's mostly the sigh girls who choose as their host, because he's so still and silent."

"Ah." Mikan nodded, "That makes perfect sense. And then Honey is just adorable kid everybody wants to hug."

"In a way." Rai said, "They're never without each other though."

"Like the twins." Mikan retorted, "I don't know what it is that you guys find so attractive about the way they hang on each other."

All three shrugged, 'It's like the drama's on TV, but played out in front of us." Momo explained

"I don't know. Seems a little wrong-" Mikan started, but the girls were drawn back into talk of fashion.

"Takashi! Quick drill Mikan-Chan on her problems!" Honey yelled as he dragged Mori towards her.

"Honey?" She asked as she glanced down, "Isn't your class half way across the school?"

"Come on Honey." Mori told him as he picked the little guy up, "We'll be late."

Mikan blinked, "Thank you for the thought Honey, but I'll be fine. I don't think I have a test today."

* * *

"AHHH! MIKAN WHO'S GRIEVED YOU NOW?" Tamaki yelled as he saw her sitting with her head on the lunch table.

She glanced up at him, "Uh no one."

"No! None of that. You will tell us now!" Tamaki ordered as he clapped his hands, and the twins brought over a couch, as they tried to pull her up from the lunch table.

'Oi! My cast. Hold on.' She got up herself sitting on the couch, feeling very silly as they were having a therapy in the middle of lunch.

"Now tell us were it all began." Tamaki ordered as Honey prepared to take notes, a and the twins dragged Haruhi over to observe.

"What are they for?' She asked

'This is my diagnosis team." Tamaki explained, "They are here for the sole responsibility of helping my diagnoses what is bothering you."

She smiled as she made herself comfortable, "Well Tamaki-sempi I guess it all really began when I was a child and I decided to go swimming at the shark tank at the local aquarium. Only I lost six cousins to the same shark I made best friends with, and I had to shoot it. Mind you it was rather hard handling a gun at five years old."

Tamaki suddenly yelled, running away at the top of his lungs as Mikan laughed from the couch, "Wow, he should be on the track team."

"Sarcasm." Haruhi explained to the onlookers, as the twins suddenly grinned shaking her hands.

"Congratulations. Usually we can only do that when we mess with Haruhi in front of him."

"So you are gay-"Mikan started as the twins seemed to turn to ash and Haruhi laughed nervously, "Uh no. Tamaki just likes me as a very close friend."

"I don't know. The way these two are so close to sucking your face off sometimes, has me worried." Mikan answered

The twins glanced at each other before they circled her, leaning in really close like sharks before the kill.

"Jealous?" They asked reaching for her face until she made a move to bite them.

"I told you. Your hand near my face, equals in my mouth." She warned eyeing them as she scooted away crawling off the couch, "Gah. I think that could count as sexual harassment."

"Aww, Mikan. So cute." They cried hugging her instead, "Your so innocent Puppy."

She blushed, muttering, "You guys really get to know me you'll eat that statement."

When they released her, she stepped across the table, stepping to sit on the other side with Honey and Mori.

"They tempt me to much.' She explained, "So close to just ripping off their hands. You guys are really lucky that Haruhi doesn't bite."

"They probably have diseases." Haruhi answered turning over her shoulder, "It's not good to bite other humans."

"Haruhi! That's the meanest thing you ever said." They sobbed holding each other before smacking Mikan, "Stop teaching her bad habits!"

"Her?" Mikan asked cocking her head.

"Ahh!" Honey started, "Mori, Mikan needs more study help."

"I do?" She asked, but she hardly got the words out her mouth before Mori was throwing her up into the air and running at top speeds with the puppy thrown his shoulder with Mikan yelling at himto "Drop Me!" , and Honey at his side yelling math facts at her.

"You better hope she doesn't catch on." Haruhi warned, "She probably thinks you all are just crazy."

The twins sighed, glancing at each other and the shadow king who returned their stare.

"I share Haruhi's conclusion. I don't think Mikan has a clue." He explained in a low voice, "As usual most of the girls will simply believe that there is more drama with the puppy."

The twins sunk into their seats, mentally hitting themselves at that fact that they had almost let it slip, well maybe slip a little louder in front of the whole school and they might has well been dead.

"You almost did what?" Tamaki yelled as Kyoya had filled him in as they walked away from the crowded lunch hall.

"It was a mental slip Milord." They answered

"A mental slip that could cost Haruhi here position." He hissed grabbing their collars, "Where is Mikan now?"

"She was whisked away by Mori and Hunny to the library." They shrugged, "Something about drilling her on math problems."

"I'll have to deport her from the country , pay her mother millions-"Tamaki was muttering.

"Tamaki, she only heard them say her. She probably just thinks it was a slip of the tongue." Haruhi told him, "And I'm sure her mother will have a lot to say if you try and deport her."

'Eh what are commoners against a personal police force." Tamaki shrugged, as Haruhi slapped her face.

"No such measures are necessary." Kyoya told him, "Besides Haruhi's secret would be discovered by the school as soon as Mikan left."

They were sitting inside the room they had stolen the couch from, one of the more remote library spaces, so there was no fear of being discovered by prying ears.

"If you say so." Tamaki gestured with his hand.

"We're bored again." the twins sighed

"Perhaps you two have A.D.D" Haruhi told them, "You seem to be bored easily."

"A lot of things bore you when you're this gorgeous." Hikaru sighed as he sprawled on Karou.

"Mind if I join in."

They tried to shoved her off as Mori dropped Mikan directly on top.

"Stop pushing. I think your foot is on my butt" She told them as they simply lifted her together by the arms onto the ground.

"Stay puppy." They ordered

"No. Now I'm bored. I just had math facts drilled into me for last twenty minutes." She glared at them, "What was that all about anyway."

"You needed the help." Honey told her, as he sat in her lap, with Mori on the ground in front of them.

Right, Mikan thought to herself, so running around the school thrown over a guys shoulder like a sack of potatoes for sixth time in a row today is going to help me pass math.

She leaned her head back as the twins began to pet her hair again, playing with it, yanking it this way and that.

At least they don't have flowers this time, she smiled as they began to braid it.

Tamaki shoved them both over grabbing a chunk for himself as the room descended upon a silence.

"So, you guys now where I live right?" Mikan asked, "I mean the temporary house? My house that I usually live in has a twenty foot python crawling around inside."

"How poor are you?" Honey asked as he glanced up, "Do you live in the mountains?"

She laughed, "Not that poor. And no."

"Are you a scholarship student as well?" Kaoru asked

"Yep." Mikan nodded, "Just like Haruhi."

"That makes two. If we're not careful the school will be over run with commoners." Hikaru commented as Mikan blinked.

"You know we used to make fun of all the rich kids at my old school." She told them smirking, "Oh the things we said.

"Like-" they prompted

"Oh I don't remember now." Mikan shrugged, "that was an age ago for me."

"How quickly the mutt takes to the rich. "The twins laughed as they patted her head, grabbing more hair, "If your lucky maybe we'd adopt you. "

"24/7 with you two." Mikan asked as she leaned her head back, "No thanks."

"Which reminds us Puppy we called first dibs on you, so when shall we pick you up."

"I have to look at my scechlude."She answered, "Best time, for whatever it is we're doing, is at club time, unless you guys are up past eight."

"We are." They answered.

"Okay. That works for me.' She smiled, "Wait-what are we doing?"

As the universe would have it the bell rang, and everyone dispersed leaving her to wonder what the heck she had been signed up for.

"Don't worry Mikan it will be fun." Honey told her as he stood up. She yanked herself up glancing down.

"Right babe." She answered patting his head and grabbing her bag before she walked out with Haruhi.

"You got any idea-" She started

"We're not supposed to mention it." Haruhi shrugged," But I have you last, Tamaki second, Kyoya third, and then Hunny who may be tag teaming with Mori. Kyoya hasn't decided."

"Ah so this keep Mikan out of the loop hole?" She asked," What ever. As long as it's nothing embarrassing or stupid."

"Well-"Haruhi started before the twins yanked her away, saying how "You can't reveal anything." before winking at Mikan and laughing.

"Oh boy." Mikan sighed, "I am so screwed."

* * *

The rest of the girls though seemed to take in strides, when they read the flyer that was handed out once they walked through the door.

"Oh.' They smiled to each other, but every time Mikan tried to read over the shoulder, they screamed running into a corner before giggling.

"Gah!" She yelled as she watched Haruhi set the tea, "Are you sure you can't at least give me a hint?"

"Yep.' Haruhi nodded ,"Don't you have some appointment today?"

"Yeah." Mikan rolled her eyes, "Got to see the doctor. I may have this brace off by December."

"Oh that's good news." Haruhi nodded

"Yeah." Mikan shrugged, "I got the rest of November, and then probably another two weeks in December. Horrible for my leg, because I've already been out for a week. It's another five weeks till I can get it off, and the all the psychical therapy is only going to keep it in mild shape."

"Ah. You take injuries seriously."

"I have to. It can totally interrupt with my dance." Mikan answered

"Dance?" Haruhi asked as she poured the hot tea, the incident from earlier forgotten. Though Tamaki was paranoid enough to keep the twins away from Mikan the rest of the day, and even more protective that no one could talk to Haruhi unless all the girls were out of the room.

"Yeah, I do a lot of ballet, been dancing since I was five or so." Mikan shrugged," So it's really bad for me to be out practice this long. Can't do much with a sprained leg. Probably take me at least a year to get back up to the same level."

Haruhi felt her heart jump at the estimate, "A year for a five week injury?"

"Well, maybe. If I go to physical therapy everyday, and don't miss any classes I might be able to dance in the spring recital, but it's hard. I have to start with simple steps and then move on to the more difficult moves."

"Ah." Haruhi nodded as she stacked teacups on the tray. Mikan again had changed pants and a t-shirt, as she had put it was her butt was about freeze out in the cold November weather.

"So, l guess I'll see you tomorrow." Mikan started, "Around noon."

"Yep." Haruhi nodded as Mikan smiled and back out the room.

That's when she happened to over hear a whisper.

"Haruhi is going over to Mikan's house." A girl giggled

"Oh, first Mori, now Haruhi. She certainly gets around." A second giggled

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "Honestly."

"WHY ARE YOU SECRETLY ENGAGED IN A LOVE AFFAIR WITH MIKAN?" Tamaki yelled spinning her around, hugging her so tight she choked.

"Mori! Help please." She yelled as he yanked her out of Tamaki's reach setting her on the ground quickly, "And I'm not in a love affair with anyone. The girls are spreading rumors again."

"But-but the twins said it." Tamaki sputtered before he glared ,"YOU DEVILS!"

They shrugged, "We were bored and what better way then to spread few rumors-"

They yelled suddenly as they sputtered shaking off the water that had been spilled over their heads.

Haruhi glanced, seeing Mikan fuming above them as she leaned in close.

"Lets get something straight. I don't appreciate all the smack you two or any of them are spreading around." She ended with a whisper, "You're my masters, and then I suggest you be little nicer. Or you'll going to find out how hard I can bite."

She turned leaving them speechless and wet, before closing the door.

Haruhi had to laugh, "She certainly showed you."

They glared, "Guess we should take off these wet clothes."

The fact that they were shirtless was enough to send the girls around the bend as they screamed Kya! forgetting the moment before when they had been told off by what every body assumed was a commoner.

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "See Tamaki. It was all a rumor."  
He seemed to turn ash, "Haruhi do you think Mikan would ever get that angry at me-"

"As long you don't spread rumors about her." She answered, "I think that's what she most pissed off about. And no you can't go running after her apologizing we have costumers to attend to."

She had to drag Tamaki all the way to his usual spot and force him to stay.

"No, Tamaki." She warned from her own table before turning to the girls and saying, "Hello."  
The girls smiled, "Hi."

And thus began her normal routine. Amazingly nothing out the ordinary went astray today, perhaps it was because the almost near melt down of the host club had happened during lunch and before Mikan left for her doctors appointment.

Finally it's back to normal, Haruhi thought to herself as she smiled, at least until tomorrow.

* * *

review review review, please!

* * *


	12. To Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

wow it has been looooong time since a new chapter. I'm already way ahead, so please forgive if plot moves slowly. I am nit picker for detail. Enjoy!

disclaimer: own nothing but my characters

* * *

Chapter Twelve To go where no man has gone before

She had been having a pretty nice sleep that is until her younger sister, Ayumi let out a screech that could wake the neighbors.

"What the hell is it?" Kagame asked as she rolled out of bed, "6:30. It's way to early."

"Nah. We got horsies to feed." Mikan reminded her as she sat on the bed waving a pop tart in front of her face, "You know you want it."  
Kagame stole it from her hand, "Kersnatch. Emm poptart never fails. So what's on the list to do?"

"Oh feed horsies, let six out in paddock and five others for exercise." Mikan answered, "Then after we've fixed up there stalls take me to Haruhi's pick her up, in time for me to get back here and meet the rest of the host club." She answered, "I thought the twins we're going with mom to her book meeting thing, because they were going to meet that guy."

"Hmm, well Mom found out about the whole python thing and the school thing and had a cow, so they're grounded."

"As in they have to stay home?" She asked , 'Here grounded."

"Oh your worried about how you'll look in front of the boys, how cute." Kagame laughed as Mikan punched her in the shoulder.

"It's easy for you. I've never hung out with boys, especially not rich, gorgeous boys." MIkan answered

"Well what are you doing with eight boys alone in the basement?" Kagame asked as she sat up kicking off the covers and yawning.

"Kagame your mind should not be going to those place this early in the morning." Mikan warned, "Watching star trek."

"Oh god. Really? Really?"

"Well what do you want me to do, go spend a 1000 bucks on something they've already done. They seem really excited actually. Something about Kya! We're going to a commoners house."

"Like Omg." Kagame laughed, "Oh boy. Wait we're not 'commoners' we have plenty of cash in the bank."

'Yeah, but I'm just letting think we're poor. I don't really care." Mikan shrugged, "I might also lose my position if they knew if I could afford it."

"Pft. Dance?" Kagame asked, "Ayumi and your tuition alone could power a third world country for ten years. Don't even start on dance."  
"I like my dance. And the classes are cheap, considering that I still use public studios, some of my best teachers have danced with the most prestigious companies, but instead teach students like me."

"Ah like . Scary old woman." Kagame shuddered, "Allright out. So I can get dressed."

Kagame watched as Mikan rolled off the bed, shutting her door as she began to scream orders at the twins to "PICK UP YOUR CLOTHES OR I SWEAR I"LL THROW THEM OUT!"  
She loved Sho and Jun, but they could be a pain in the ass sometimes. Mikan always seemed the best suited though to keep them in line, even when mom was home.

It was so cute to see her so flustered around the boys, though maybe she would let the twins play commando and spy on her.

"God I'm mean." She laughed to herself as she pulled on the baggy t-shirt and jeans with her roughed up cow boy boots as she pulled her hair back into a braid.

She opened the door to Mikan running by in her usual jeans and black t-shirt so ragged it had holes as she was struggling to get on her other boot.

"Hey I'll be ready in a minute." She answered as she ran with an armful of clothes in her hands before slowly going down the stairs her brace thumping on every step.

Kagame yanked out her own bin following her sister as she asked, "Ayumi what's your plan of action today?"

"Going over to Tenten's." She answered as she held the curling iron in her hair, before releasing and doing another strand as she sat in front of the mirror.

Kagame never could make head or tails of why the heck she had bothered to spend so much time with it. She was in middle school, but then again she was running with a different crowd. Amazing she had made so many friends so quickly, she used to just melt into the corner back home.

It was good for her though, as she was actually smiling pulling out her cell.

"Hey tenten. No of course I'll bring some of my sister's cupcakes. Yeah I can't wait either. No way!" She paused, "Wait, she is? Wow, I had no idea. No. Yes. Wow."

"All right Air head, take the bubbly conversation some where else." Kagame ordered as she moved on opening the basement door as she made her way down the wooden stairs.

It was a nice basement with carpeted floor, a huge couch, and of course a TV that took up half the wall. She smiled reminding herself that she needed to try Shutter 2 in the dark before they moved back to the other place.

She opened the sliding door as she joined Mikan at the industrial sized washer and dryer.

"You think we're taking care of a family of ten." Kagame commented as she loaded in the clothes.

'Well, this is from the week, and we don't even reach half." Mikan answered shaking her head, "Can't wait to go back home."

"I know I like our Victorian house."

"That and I can walk out to the fields to our babies, not drive a half hour." She shook her head as she stuffed in more clothes, "What's going on with Ayumi?"

"She's going to be over at some girls house. " Kagame explained, "So what the doc have to say?'

"That my leg is actually in better shape then before, because of all the walking I'm doing and that I'm on schedule for my release." She answered smiling.

Kagame nodded again before heading back up the stairs and searching for her lovely purse that always wanted to hide last minute. It was like it was screaming Screw w you!

"There you are." She plucked it up as she felt the boys breath behind her, "Boys best behavior."

"All right." They answered huffing, "We won't do anything annoying or burn the house down."

"Your not aloud outside of your room until I get back." She warned, "Don't answer the door."

"Fine." The twins answered huffing as they trudged up to their room, slamming the door shut. They waited until they heard Kagame shut the door with Mikan close behind with the thump, thump of her cast before they opened the door. Ayumi could care less what they did as long as they stayed out of her hair.

"I hear Mikan is having company." Sho smiled

"We really shouldn't, but why not give them a proper welcoming." Jun returned the smiled as they got out the necessary supplies to give Mikan's "friends" the proper welcoming.

"Kagame says they're all man whores." Sho whispered, "That can't be good."

"Well I think it's like if someone calls a girl a whore she sleeps with a lot of guys, so a man whore probably sleeps with a lot of girls." Jun said slowly, but proud that he had been able to piece it together on his own.

"Oh. Wait, isn't that bad for Mikan?' Sho asked, "What if they try to beat her up for lunch money?"

"Or kiss her." Jun answered, "Or hold her hand. It will be just like at our school when those two guys wanted the same girl."

"Poor Chan. He couldn't walk for a week." Sho clicked his tongue, "the usual then?"

"Of course, but perhaps we should go for something a little trickery." Jun answered, "You know how like Kagame likes to pop out of the ceiling to scare people."

"Oh right." Sho nodded his head, "Now she is a master."

"What if we did the old, one brother bit?" Jun asked ,"And you pretend to be my dead brother."

"Could work, but these are highschooler's. They may be a little harder to deal with." Sho pointed out

Jun scratched his silver hair as he smiled deviously, "Well what if we did the bit with the rubber band and the honey."

"Oh. Oh. The classic." Sho nodded his head ,'Never fails."

"I say we add whip cream and pickle juice into the mix for the two that made her cry.' Jun hissed, "We are the only one who makes our sister cry."

"And even then we apologize." Sho answered, "We got a lot of work to do, before they get here though. And we can always count on Mikan to be late."

"When Kagame's driving?" Jun asked, "Yeah. Here pass me that seran wrap."

"What are you two doing?" Ayumi asked from the door way, "Wait. Don't care. Off to Tenten's. See you late, alright?"

"Bye." they answered as they watched Ayumi go out the door.

"She did her hair." Sho commented, "Ayumi never does her hair."

"She also stopped eating all that junk food."Jun sighed, "Now whose going to buy us our crap?"

"Kagame will if we add into the grocery list." Sho pointed out, "You know we're rich now, but we still do all the things that we did when we lived in the suburbs."

"Mom doesn't want us to lost who we are, just because we have money." Jun answered, "As if. That's why we went to public school."

"Rich are to snooty." Sho agreed, "None of those girls would want to build mud castles or make worm homes."

"Most kids don't do that." Jun answered, "But at least at public school it's not like we ever left the states, except it's a whole lot cleaner."

"I like Japan." Sho said as he tied the string dumping in the honey, "But I do miss our friends."

"Maybe we could have Devin over this summer." Jun suggested, "And prank Mikan until she run screaming from the house."

"I don't think mom will let Devin back in any of houses, after the noodle incident at school." Sho laughed

"Oh the noodle incident." Jun nodded, "That was one of our better moments. I think we're done."

"And with three hours to spare." Sho glanced at the clock, "Wanna go climb on the roof?"  
"Yeah." Jun answered, "As long as we use all that climbing gear and put the mats underneath mom said it was fine."

"Well before we were grounded." Sho pointed out as Jun laughed, "Mom's not here."

* * *

Kagame sat upon Tick, and Mikan walked his brother tock out to the paddock. She trotted around to the side, posting as her butt was numb after riding two of the other horses for the last hour or so.

"Damn Mikan. Can we go yet?" She asked as she pushed him into a canter around the large green field.

"Nope." She answered as she rubbed the various noses. They had been very well cared for at the stables. She found out, that the staff actually did the feeding, grooming, and mucking while they were free to ride. She was going to be so happy to have her babies to herself again. She was starting to miss all the hard work that went into taking care of them.

"Right Amoeba?' She asked as she rubbed the Belgium drafts nose as Napoleon the Shetland rubbed his own head against her legs.

"Hey babe." She smiled rubbing his ears. This is why she loved horses, no rumors, no judging. You took care of them and they loved you forever. Unless of course you happened to own a prissy appaloosa, and then you probably had to work a little harder for the love.

She couldn't ride at all, because of the cast. Granted she probably could manage side saddle at a walk, but she didn't a riding accident to boot on top her brace..

"My butt is sore." Kagame complained.

"That's because you've been doing a gallop on three different horses." Mikan retorted, "Your lucky you can fricken get on the horse."

"I know. Ha ha.' She smiled as she ran Tick right by the fence. Mikan smiled. She supposed that one perk to being rich, her mom could afford all the horses they had grown up with.

Tick and Tock were supposed to be sold off to some circus as cart horses, before Mom had managed to wrangle the price her way. Mikan remembered how they had sacrificed a lot of things like food for a few weeks in order to keep them boarded.

Yet, she got them to riding status once more, through hard work. Amoeba and Napoleon had come together as they refused to be separated. Amoeba thought he was tiny, jumping every time one of the small horses came by, and Napoleon though he hardly reached past Mikan's knees figured himself an Irish cog.

Kuri a little ways away from Amobea. The buckskin draft seemed to have a thing for his fellow draft. Kuri had been an interesting find. He had come from an older man, who said that he had found him one day while walking down a road and there stood a tamed horse eating grass.

The old man had let Kuri simply roam his fields, getting nice and fat. He was still being whipped back into shape by her, or now Kagame.

There was also Bolt, the black pony that had been a fair horse and never went faster then a walk. He stuck with his girlfriend, Ting a painted pony who a head taller than him, but didn't mind his company as they grazed together. It was always great when Sho and Jun rode them both at the same time, because it was always an effort to keep the two from riding into each other, rubbing noses.

There were also her mothers two white Arabians, who were always prancing about the paddock tossing their heads. They were show horses and they knew it.

The one was Molly, and the other was something like Csear.

Then of course there was her father's Friesian or it would be her fathers if he was still around. Mom said it was the first he had ever taken her out on. That's how she discovered it was her passion, her expensive passion for horses. .

Of course Mikan would always laughed when people asked for his name. "Ed." She answered with a snort. It was actually Edmund after the original her horse her mom had ridden all those years ago, but Ed sounded funnier.

The black Friesian didn't mind his name though, as he trotted around with Arabians sometimes with Kuri. He was very comfortable with himself in his horse hood. She laughed again, "Kagame, I swear to god, mom could build an entire drama just off out horses."

"Mention it to her." Kagame called as she took Tick to a walk, "I'm going to take him back to the stable for a rub down."

Mikan glanced over at Tick who seemed worn out from the gallop that Kagame had put him through as he knackered over to Sofia.

Their final pony, a miniature that they hooked up to the pony cart and drove around on the trails and on the dirt path. Sofia led a grand life rolling in the shade or trotting by Napoleon.

She clicked her tongue as, Ling only glanced at her from his place under the shade of Kuris shadow before returning to grazing.

"Alright, babies." She smiled patter Amoeba on the nose, giving Napoleon one last pat on the forelock before she ran to the fence jumping over leaving the horses to graze.

"Hey Kagame-" but she stopped as she turned the corner seeing Kagame in a lip lock with a rather cute looking boy decked out in dressage, "Yo, it's 11:30 in the morning. Come back later."

She stopped as they stopped embrace. Kagame blushed as she winked at him, as the boy seemed to melt walking away as he ran into a stall startling the horse inside.

"And that was-" Mikan prompted

"Number 11." She answered, "Not me for him." after she caught Mikan's look.

"Uh huh." She answered nodding, "I can't let you loose."

"Oh give me a break. A month without any action and I needed a little something." Kagame shrugged, "I forgot what it's like not having a boy friend."

"That was hooking up in a barn.' Mikan pointed out

"He was cute and there." Kagame argued, "And I'm 21. It's not exactly a 'huge' thing anymore. Don't let me ever catch you though! Besides he asked for it."

"Really and how does that work?' Mikan quipped, "He toss a few bills at you."

"Nah. First one's of the house." Kagame shrugged, "No. He was all like I bet you never kissed anyone. And I was like why? And he's like because who would want to make out with someone like you. And I was all like well why don't you come over here and find out. And he did. And well-" Kagame swept her hand in front as if to exemplify her point.

"Okay. So it's okay for you to hook up –" Mikan started

"Nope I was defending my honor." She answered with a shrug, "You know me. I've had what-two boyfriends in the last year or so. I date more boys then an encyclopedia has pages."

"And you like only two enough to keep it steady." Mikan finished, "I know. So does he ride here?"

"Yeah. He was boasting how his horse was this shit and that shit, and pure blood lines. Don't matter if he's not putting the work in to be with the horse though." Kagame huffed

"I know."Mikan nodded, "Which is why I can't wait to have my babies back home with me."

'So where are we going now?" Kagame asked as she grabbed her purse and keys from the front desk that cheerfully said good bye before greeting the riders who had arrived.

"Haruhi's." Mikan answered as she sat in the jeep cranking up the radio, laughing as Kagame spit gravel and spun out of the parking lot at high speeds as they passed the shiny new Volvo's, Mazda's, lambo's or limos.

'You know for being rich, you're not acting very refined." Mikan scolded

Kagame shrugged, "Free spirit." as the jeep jostled the wind blowing in as all the window were down, and "So is Haruhi rich?"

"Nah, commoner.' Mikan answered before she laughed slapping hand to her face, "Oh god they've got me saying it now."

"Commoner?" Kagame asked in disbelief , "That's how they refer to the poor?"

"Yeah." Mikan shrugged, "Funny right?"

"Did you tell them some of the things they used to say-"

"Yep." Mikan nodded, "but I couldn't remember any of it."

"Man." Kagame shook her head, "So a left up here?"

"Uh huh." Mikan answered. The rest of the car ride was mostly in silence except for the occasional comment on a song as Kagame would keep switching the stations.

"I just realized something. Our jeep smell like horses." Mikan moaned

"so do we. I think I see hay in your hair." Kagame laughed, "Oh man. I wonder if we're even going to be able to get him into the car."

"I hope." Mikan sighed, "Oh this should be it up here."

Kagame pulled the jeep to a stop outside the small apartment complex, "Wow. Alright up we go."

"Can we even park here?" Mikan asked

"I guess we'll find out." Kagame shrugged as she locked the jeep parked on the curb before following Mikan up and climbing the stairs, "Hopefully they won't have us in."

Mikan glanced at her boots, "Yeah hopefully."

They stood at the door, as Kagame rang the bell, "Hello?"

The opened as a very flustered Haruhi pushed it open, "Hello. So sorry. I'm a little behind on my chores. My father had a party and I'm still working on the after math." Mikan tore off her shoes stepping right in as she glanced around, "Well what do you need help with."

"Oh no!" Haruhi started, but Mikan ignored it heading for the dishes, as Kagame took over the laundry, "This is to be folded right?"

Haruhi nodded, "Ah yes. Thank you. You don't need to though."

"Nonsense." Mikan snorted, "I'm used to it. I used to clean my friends houses all the time back in the states."

"Ah." Haruhi nodded, "And you are?"

The dark blue haired girl smiled as she gave a slight bow, "Kagame. Older sister and chauffer extordinare."

"Oh. Mikan mentioned you." Haruhi said, as she picked up the bottles that were everywhere, hoping to her mother above that her father would not wake up any time soon.

"Your dad knows how to throw a party.' Mikan commented, "Where's your mom?"

"My mother is dead." Haruhi answered quickly.

"Oh sorry." Mikan said, "I know how that is. Our dad is dead."

"Terrible ski accident." Kagame explained, "He tried doing a back flip back wards, and fell head first into a frozen lake."

"Oh." Haruhi stopped stunned that she had said so bluntly.

"It's nothing much. Mom said it's how he would want to go. He was a man of adventure." Mikan explained as she caught his confused look, "No worries."

"My mother died of an illness." Haruhi answered

"Sucks." Kagame nodded her head as she continued to fold the laundry. Haruhi watched amazed she was almost finished.

"So what else do you have to do?" Mikan asked as she put away the last of the dishes and turned to face her.

"Er, well pick and take out the trash, mop, vacuum." She began to count it off her fingers as Mikan exchanged a glance with Kagame cracking her knuckles and neck.

"You do the trash, Kagame can mop, and I'll vacuum." MIkan ordered as she began to root around, "Where's the vacuum?"

"I'll get it." Haruhi answered relived to have help, "I'm sorry."

"It's cool." Mikan shrugged, "better late then never."

"Oh shit the twins." Kagame yelled suddenly leaving the rest of the laundry in the basket and shoving her shoes back on, "Call me and I'll come pick you up. Those two little monsters are problem greeting the rest of your friends."

"Bye Kagame." Mikan waved as she yanked out the vacuum, "So-what's happening?"

* * *

"Please dear god in the heaven's do not let that house be burned down." Kagame swore under her breath as she tore up the drive way ,a limo already parked out front. Well the house wasn't burned down, but it might as well have been.

Toilet paper hung from the trees, as a chair laid splintered into pieces outside the front door. She felt herself fume as she slammed open the front door, letting out a scream that shook the birds from their place in the trees.

"SHO! JUN!" She yelled as she stomped in over a floor that was covered in a sticky goo that she was not even going to guess what the combination was. She glanced at the seven boys crouched behind a row of sand bags in her front hall as she all sat staring at her as a constant rain of water balloons fell down the stairs.

She walked right through them and over the wall, as she stomped up the stairs.

The twins were crouched another balloon at the ready before she yanked out of their hands breaking it open with a single squeeze of her hand.

'They started it!" They yelled as she grabbed them both ready to take them down stairs when a voice yelled, "Return fire."

She didn't have time to react or even duck as She was plastered in flour as she wiped it from her eyes.

"THIS MEANS WAR!" She yelled, taking cover behind the barricade that the twins had built.

"So glad you could join." They laughed as they crouched behind the sand bags, both of them covered in flour and what looked like marshmallows in their hair.

"Don't you start." she answered, 'Your still grounded when all of this is through, but they threw flour at me and I can't take that sitting down."

The twins high fived as they loaded another balloon with water from a hose that they had running from the window.  
"What are you doing?" She asked grabbing it from them and squeezing a bottle of Honey she had found sitting in the hall, "Use honey. It will stick."

They grinned wider as they continued to fill the balloons, as another package of flour exploded on the wall knocking down several picture frames.

'That's going to cost some money." She muttered as she tossed down the balloon, "We need to regain the advantage."

"We have the advantage." Sho told her, "Jun stocked us up before they claimed their territory."  
"And how did this whole things start?" Kagame asked raising an eyebrow as yet another package of flour exploded on to the wall covering the blue paint with a layer of white fluff.

'Well we pranked them. All of them, and the two with orange hair convinced the guy with blonde hair, the king, that it was a dishonor to their family name, and they put a barricade, and the rest is history. Though you did add a nice touch by screaming loud enough to make the blonde one jump into the air."

'Great." Kagame answered, "I think they think I'm your mother. Such lovely first impressions."

* * *

"That's funny." Mikan commented as she wrung the mop out, dumping the bucket of disgusting soapy water into the sink, "My sister isn't picking up her phone. Is it al right by you if I stay for awhile more?"

"Sure." Haruhi nodded, "You did earn it one way or another by doing all my chores."

"Sorry I smell like horses. I didn't have time to change before I came from the stables." Mikan answered as she peeled of her long sleeve top and adjusted her cami once more, "So what do you want to do?"

"I don't really care." Haruhi answered, "I have a few hours until I should put something on for my father. I left him something in the refrigerator for when he wakes up."

"Does your dad always sleep this late?" Mikan asked cocking her head as she walked over putting the mop into the closet. The flat which had been a mess before hand, looked remarkably clean. Cleaner than usual as Haruhi had put it.

"Yes. He works all night and most of the day at the bar." Haruhi answered, "So it's nice for him when he gets to sleep in late."

"I had a friend who was the same way. She slept so much, that one day she went to sleep in the afternoon and woke up to the next morning."

She stretched, "Well we could go for a walk. You got a park around here?"

'Up the street." Haruhi started as Mikan smiled grabbing her hand and yanking saying, "Well come on."

"But it's a park for little kids." Haruhi started

"You never to old for a play ground." Mikan corrected as she threw on her shoes and opening the door as Haruhi followed more slowly taking off her apron and slip on her own shoes.

"I love playgrounds." Mikan told her as they began walking down the street, "I used to play on the small one we had in my back yard for hours. It was all I wanted to do every summer, well that and swim."

"I came here as a young child." Haruhi answered

"And not since?" Mikan asked, "Wow. I thought everybody still went to parks. There great fun you know."

"I don't think the host club goes to parks." She commented

"No probably not." Mikan agreed, "We should take them to one."

"I think their designed more for the young."

"Then call me a five year old." Mikan laughed as she jogged the rest of the way to the rather deserted park, besides a few children with their ever watchful parents.

"MIkan wait up.' Haruhi puffed as she finally caught up to the rather hyperactive Mikan who immediately sat down on the swing, "Come swing with me."

'Alright." Haruhi shrugged as she sat down rocking back and forth as Mikan pumped herself higher and higher.

"I used to swing for hours on end." She explained, "My grand parents had this swing on their farm that always cut into my butt, so by the time I got off I had imprints and a sore butt."

'Sounds painful." Haruhi answered

"It was.' Mikan said as she suddenly leapt off rolling on the ground, "Shit that was stupid."

"Mikan are you okay?' Haruhi asked as she ran over to the girl who was brushing herself off.

"Yeah, but don't try jumping off a swing with a brace. I forgot I even had this damn thing on, I'm that used to it." She moaned flexing her leg before walking back onto the swing, "So what does your dad do?"

"He works at a bar." She answered sitting beside her, as Mikan instead only rocked gently back and forth now.

"Bar is good money." Mikan answered with a nod, "My mom's a writer."

"Oh." Haruhi said simply growing quiet as Mikan continued, "Yeah. She finally got her novel to take off, which is why we moved back to her home country. My dad was american you know. Great guy for what I remember of him. Do you remember your mother?"

"A little." Haruhi answered

"Yeah I can't remember much about mine either. Is your dad ever going to re marry?"

"Well he decided since he could never love another woman-"

"Oh I get it." Mikan smiled cutting him off , "My mom is still on the market, but she's letting them come to her. She's lazy that way."

'Dating sounds exhausting ."

"Oh?" MIkan asked, "I would have thought you would have been through a couple girlfriends already."  
"What makes you sat that?"

"The girls drool over you." Mikan answered, "The guys to. I don't know how you can take it."

"Well you attract your own kind of attention."

"Nah." Mikan shrugged, "This is actually the first time in a long time I've had some guy friends. And what weirdo's they turned out to be."

There was another pause before Mikan continued, "So what do you do for fun? Do you have any hobbies?"

"Not really." Haruhi answered truthfully.

"Ever tried horse back?"

"No, but I'm not big into horses or animals in general." Haruhi explained

"Oh. I love horses." Mikan answered, 'I ride every chance I get."

"Do you own a horse?"

'Well I have a draft that I consider to be mine, amoeba. But we have like eleven total." She answered

"How can you-no never mind." Haruhi shrugged

"I'm not a 'commoner'." She smiled, "Not as rich as most of the host club, but we're well off. I only go to the school because of my dance scholarship."

"You dance?" Haruhi asked surprised

"Yep." Mikan smiled, "I'm hoping to train to become a prima donna."

"A what?" Haurhi asked

"It basically the highest level you can reach as a dancer. You're in the center spot light all the time, principal roles-" Mikan went on and on as Haruhi pretended to know anything she was talking about.

'Maybe you should try calling your sister again." Haruhi suggested as Mikan typed into her phone.

'I sent a text.' She answered clicking the phone shut, "We've been here for over an hour you want to go home?"

"Sure." Haruhi nodded getting off the swing

"You're a very easy going child aren't you?" Mikan asked with a laugh as they limped back up the cement, "What are you having for dinner?"

"Probably stir fry. It's the end of the week and I haven't had time to go grocery shopping today."

"You buy groceries every day?' Mikan asked

"Well everything I'll need for that night and the next day."

"We buy for the week." Mikan explained, "Even when we lived in America. Of course we grew a lot of stuff in a garden or brought it at the market."

'Would you mind if I went to buy?" She asked caustisouly

"I would love to." Mikan answered smiling, "I used to have my sister drive me and my friends to the grocery store all the time. I love going grocery shopping with friends, one of life's oddities."

"I don't really like it," Haruhi started

"Have you ever stood on the back of the cart while someone pushed from front?" She asked as she grabbed a cart from the long line hopping onto the back, "You can push."

"All right." Haruhi shrugged as she started down the aisles Mikan riding on the back as she walked down the aisles picking up various things. At least she seems to be enjoying herself, Haruhi thought as she threw in a box of noodles.

"Do you want a turn?" MIkan asked

"No, I'm okay." Haruhi answered as they turned the corner.

"Did you ever do this as a kid?" Mikan questioned

"No." Haruhi said simply.

"Oh. I always did with my family. Of course I always got the back and the other three would ride in the middle and hold onto everything while Kagame pushed. At least when we we're really little. Of course Mom was always there to watch Kagame and make sure she didn't run through the aisles and try and play bowling with cans of soup." MIkan smiled reminiscing as the cart turned the corner and wheels squeaked against the floor.

"That should be all." Haruhi said as she turned the corner once more for the check out lanes as she begin to place groceries on the conveyor belt as Mikan helped.

"My sister still hasn't called." She commented as she pulled her phone out, "I wonder what they're up to."

* * *

Kagame plastered in honey and flour and marshmallow let out a shrill whistle as the boys had finally decided to duke it out face to face by storming the other teams known as Sexy overlords head on. They of course had ended it in a wrestling match and as they rolled around on the honey covered floor, knocking over vases Kagame decided it had been long enough.

"Now, you all have to help us clean up-"

"Poor commoner doesn't have a maid." They whispered though gulping as she glared and quickly shutting their mouths.

"Allright who's in charge?" She asked crossing her arms

Tamaki raised a timid hand as he suddenly fell to his knees, "I AM SO SORRY I HAVE DISRESPECTED YOUR PROPERTY YOUR HOUSE YOUR HONOR YOUR FAMILY-"

She ignored him, "Whose second in command?'

A tall, dark haired boy stepped forward as he pushed up his glasses, "I'll rein burst you for the damages."

"No need, we hate half the crap in this place." She answered, glancing around at the broken picture frames as another crashed to the floor, "All right. Sho! Jun! Go get me the soap."

The two ran off carrying with them a box of soap that she dumped onto the floor, "Now the rest of you grab a rag and a scrub brush."

No one moved.

She pulled out a small whistle, "WHEN I SAY SOMETHING YOU WILL RESPOND YES M'AM! DO I MAKE MY SELF CLEAR?"

"YES MA'M!" Came the unified reply as they scattered running to pick up a rag or a brush as they began to scrub hard on the floor.

"When I return I expect this place to be in tip top condition." She yelled, "Sho! Jun! Follow me!"

The twins marched out and as soon as she closed the door there was a general sigh of relief.

"Kyoya can't we hire some temporary maids to do all this work?' Tamaki asked, "I don't think I can work or clean as well as a commoner."

"Look Takashi bubbles." Honey yelled as he slid upon the floor.

"I've had a maid service rushed in." Kyoya explained as at least a dozen maids rushed through the doors shoving anyone out there way, "They're very efficient as you can see."

Tamaki yelled as he was shoved through a door. He glanced around, a sink, cupboards. He was in a kitchen! A real commoners kitchen!

"So cool!" He smiled exploring as the rest of the club followed in order to avoid being run over by the small army of maids.

"Look at this a real commoners Kitchen!" He smiled, "It's much better than I imagined."  
"I do believe that Mikan's parent has some money." Kyoya commented as the other began to pull out dishes.

"How strange! Milord dishes made from plastic." The twins commented as they held up the colorful plastic plate.

"Is it even to safe to eat off of?" Tamaki asked as he held it.

"Oh Takashi!" Honey cried, "Cookies!" Honey began to stuff his face full of the delicious cookies, "Emm these are so good! Why haven't I heard of them before?"

"Oreos.' Mori read the label as he set it back down on the counter.

"Sounds exotic."Tamaki commented, "Perhaps a special kind of commoner food." He picked one up and after one bite he found himself spinning around and around, "OREOS! I must have more!"

He began to help Honey devour the entire Jar as the twins joined in the action.

"Amazing." They commented, 'Tiny, but delicious."

"Buy Mikan replacement Oreos." Kyoya commented to himself as the jar was quickly emptied.

"What now?" The twins asked wishing they had more Oreos.

"Exploration!" Tamaki answered

"Dibs on Mikan's room!" The twins cried as they sprinted up the now clean stairs, the maids had just about finished the foyer amassed with bubbles and various cleaning machines.

The threw open the doors in search of her room glancing in and around for anything that would give them a tell tale sign.

"Too pink." They said, "Too boyish.", "Too dark." They opened the last door on the left of the hallway, "This is it."

Cho leaped at them barking a greeting as the picked up the puppy scratching him behind the ears.  
"You're a lot nice than our puppy." They commented as Tamaki yelled at them that they shouldn't be, "INVADING PEOPLE"S PRIVACY!"

"Oh so you don't want to see what our puppy does?" They asked, "She hardly tells us anything."

"Well it is my duty as father." Tamaki thought aloud before following them in as Honey pulled Mori in.

"Look Takashi!" He pointed at the pictures on the wall, "Horses."

"You think she rides?" The twins asked aloud, "Odd sport for a commoner."

"You can be a commoner and still ride." Kyoya told them calmly, glancing around the small room, "Perhaps we should leave before Kagame returns."

"She has one harsh mom.' They answered taking Cho out with them as the walked back into the hallway.

"That wasn't her mother.' He told them as he glided past down the stairs as Tamaki stared at the pictures on the wall , "She must have a huge family."

"That was her sister?" They asked amazed, before shrugging, "Who knew? Where's her mother?"

"At work probably." Kyoya answered as he thanked the Maids at the bottom that quickly departed out the front doors, leaving only a clean house behind.

"They're like portraits only smaller." Tamaki commented amazed at all the framed photographs as he continued down the stairwell, "Honey! Mori! Come on!" He yelled back up the stairs at the two who were still exploring Mikan's room.

"Coming!" Honey answered as he trotted down the stairs Mori in hand," She has a lot of ribbons. You think she competes a lot?"

'Ribbons?" Tamaki asked and then with a dismissive wave, "They're probably for decoration."

Mori shook his head no, "They were for competitions."

"Ah! Like we get at tournaments." Honey smiled, "I wonder what Mikan does."

"Maybe she won them for being clumsily." The twins laughed, "Or most visits to the hospital." They walked down the hall, as they opened a door "Hey we found her basement."

"Suppose we should gather down there." Kyoya said, as Tamaki ran to a set of double doors, "I'll get snacks." He flung open the doors in amazement. "Commoner food!"

"Yes Milord. We are in a commoners house." The twins commented, as they help Tamaki in picking and choosing what they wanted to eat.

"What are dorritos?"They asked glancing at a bright red package.

"I don't know, but we'll bring them down anyways. Oh more Oreos!"

"Oreos!" Honey cried as he disappeared down stairs, "Oh! What a large TV. What are we watching?"

"There is a set of DVDs here we can watch." Kyoya told him, "Star trek."

"Star trek?" Tamaki asked as he came down stairs his arms loaded with commoner snacks, "Let's watch it."

"We're cool with it." The twins agreed as Kyoya popped in the disc and they all clambered onto the two conjoined black leather couches that made an L shape as Kyoya flicked off the lights and the screen shone bright in the dark room.

"Space the final frontier." A deep voice started.

"Oh I like this already." Honey commented as he sat next to Mori who was sprawled on a corner.

Tamaki was already filling himself on something called Cheetoe's sucking his fingers with all the cheesy goodness on them, and the twins were sharing the bag of Doritos as Kyoya made mental notes of how much it would cost to replace everything they ate from Mikan's.

They watched the first episodes, before moving on to the next disc. He glanced at his watch that read 19:30 pm, they had been here a long time without even so much as an open door from the front foyer or a phone call.

It was strange to think they were in someone else house with no one else around, but he quickly dismissed knowing he could easily contact Mikan and turned his attention back to the screen.

* * *

"Nice digs." Sho commented as they sat around the small table with Haruhi and her father who was going crazy over everybody. It had started when they returned home from the grocery store, he had immediately introduced himself as "Ran-san, oh it's so nice to see that Haruhi has made so many friends."

"Of course." Mikan smiled widely shaking his hand, before whispering to her aside, "that is your dad right?'

"Yeah." Haruhi answered shyly, "He dresses as a woman because he decided he could never love anyone after my mother's death."

"Oh." She nodded her head, "I understand." Wow, a cross-dressing dad, that is different. He reminded her a lot of Tamaki in the way her always blew things out of proportion or fussed over Haruhi.

And then Kagame had shown up with the rest of her family, minus her mom and Ayumi. "Hello! We brought some dinner of our own. Hope you don't mind."

And that's how Haruhi ended up meeting most her family, though Kagame kept Haruhi's dad engaged with various topics ranging from pastry to bars, as the twins listened or talked to each other.

"He's the only normal one. " They commented, "You missed the war we had today."

"You had a war at the house?" Mikan asked slapping a hand to her face, "Oh lord. Why me? Kagame why didn't you stop them?"

"They threw flour at me." She answered with a shrug as Haruhi's dad laughed at the prospect of throwing flour or honey at each other.

"Oh well that changes everything." Mikan rolled her eyes, "I guess it was a good thing we didn't go to my house." as she scooped up more rice.

"Yes." Haruhi nodded, "It's nice to meet your family."

"Thanks." Mikan smiled, "I think this is the best the twins have acted in a long time. We can't take the little monsters out to often."

Sho and Jun only smiled a wicked smile before they helped themselves to more shoving it down their throats.

"That and the fact they're black holes." Haruhi answered, "What did you call this?"

"Oh something my sis came up with, some kind of man salad where's its all a bunch of tenderized, fried meat in a bowl." Mikan answered, as she dug in with a plastic fork. She never had been able to get chopstick down.

"We need to head back soon." Kagame said as she glanced at the near empty table as she began to stack dishes, "Thank you for having us."

"No trouble at all." he smiled

"You wanna come over to my place?" Mikan asked, "It's only eight."

"Sure." Haruhi shrugged as she helped scrub off all the dirt and grime before stacking them into the dishwasher and shutting it. It didn't take much time at all as the twins pitched in though they did manage to get their fronts soaked.

"It will be a tight fit." Kagame told them as she led the way to the dirt jeep as they climbed in with Sho shoving Jun out of the way for the honor of Shotgun and Mikan in the middle with Jun on one side and Haruhi on the other.

"Ready?" Kagame asked as she revved the engine as tore out onto the road honking her horn.

"What was that for?' Haruhi asked

"Our way of saying a second good-bye. " Mikan answered as the wind began to rush against them in the open top.

It was a quiet ride back as there was nothing much to say and everybody's stomachs were full from dinner and Kagame had the radio blaring taking sharp turns.

"Your sister is crazy." Haruhi commented as she waved back in forth in the seat.

"Don't worry . Kagame used to date a stunt driver, she know what she's doing." Mikan answered with a shrug leaning her head back as she was suddenly very tiered, "You still up for star trek?"

"Yep. 'Haruhi nodded her head as Kagame pulled up the dirt driveway her headlight the only thing illuminating the way, "Here we are."

"Finnaly.'Haruhi muttered as she clambered out of the jeep as Mikan laughed, "Come on. It's all in the basement."

She clicked on the lights as Kagame commented, "Wow those boys do a nice job."

"Do you think they're still here?" Mikan asked as she pushed open the basement door only to hear the noise of startrek, the familiar voice of captain kirk talking the imistakble Mr. Spock.

"Hmm, I'll take that as a yes." She told Haruhi as she walked down the stairs. They were all on the couch, in the middle of another episode.

"Hey guys." She waved though only Kyoya noticed her, gesturing for her and Haruhi to sit down.

She waltzed over shoving herself between the twins who woke up with a start and lazily shoved her to the ground and instead grabbed Haruhi who sat between them without to much of a complaint. He was tiered to, Mikan realized crossing her arms, instead finding an open spot by Honey as she sprawled out resting her head against his body and stretching her cast on the floor hanging off the side and her one leg on the couch.

It must have been at least 8:30, but she was exhausted as another wave hit her and she closed her eyes to the lulling voice of Mr. Spock as he dissed Kirk on something.

"So nice." She muttered before dozing off.

It was a little later Kyoya realized that everyone was fast asleep. It had started with Honey, then Tamaki, followed by the twins. It was probably all the sugar they had eaten before hand.

He made his way up the stairs as he called out for, "Kagame?"

"Yo. Sup?" She asked coming out of the kitchen, "Saw you guys made it through the Oreos. What's the deal with everybody else?"

"Fast asleep." He answered, "I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Great I have seven guys piled on a couch with my kid sister." Kagame rolled her eyes, and yawned, "Fine. See ya tomorrow. Thanks for getting the house in shape."

"You're welcome." He answered as he opened the front door to the waiting limo, which pulled out the drive. He would let all the parents know we're their children were located, saying it was merely a party hosted by a good friend.

"Yes that should work." He mused as he typed into his phone texting out a message.

* * *

hehehe wonder what he's planning? No seriously I wonder

* * *


	13. Breakfest With A Side of Spock

lalalalaalalalal Disclaimer: own nothing but my oc's

* * *

Chapter 13 Breakfast with a side of Spock

Kagame glanced at the site at their table, nine boys total, and three girls all eating at one small table and the surrounding area.

"More please!" The twins demanded, well both sets as she stacked more pancakes on their plates.

'What's this called?" Tamaki asked as he looked into his bowl slurping up the milk.

"Cereal." Mikan explained, "we brought it from the states, Lucky Charms."

"Such delicious food you commoners have." Tamaki commented as he shoved food down his mouth.

"What did you guys have last night?" Kagame asked as she watched them eat away at everything they had.

"Ah anything that was in the closet." The twins answered rolling there eyes and shrugging as they fed each other pancakes.

"No fricken love making!" Mikan yelled as she pushed away her own plate, "Ugh you guys make me sick. How did you manage to eat Oreo's, cheetoe's, Doritos, soda, Ritz, and god knows what else last night? It's like you live off junk food."

"It's new. It's cheap. It was all there was to eat." Honey sang as he chomped down on the stack of pancakes, "We're used to eating whatever our chef makes."

"Kagame our live in chef." Sho joked as he flinged butter at Hikaru who ducked and returned fire with a slab of his own.

"Butter stays on the pancake boys." Kagame warned as a very well rested Kyoya walked through the door smiling for once.

"Kyoya you feeling okay?" Mikan asked

"Very." He answered, "How was your sleep on the couch?"

"Interesting." Mikan answered, with a sigh, "Of course this isn't the first time I've had breakfast at 10:30 am."

"Yes, a very well rounded meal of pancakes, bacon and orange juice, after a night of nothing but corroborated junk commoner food chuck full of additives." He commented, "Don't you keep anything healthy."

"That was for all our activities during the day. 'Kagame told him, "When I'm driving everybody else around."

"It is practical for that.' He answered as he handed her a check, "Here's for everything they ate."

"Keep it." Kagame shrugged, "You guys are family now, of course we get the same treatment if we show up to your house."

"Is that a threat?" He asked

"It could be.' She answered waving a spatula at his face, "If you trash my house again."

"Perhaps we shouldn't come over again." He answered

"You shouldn't come over when the twins are here." She corrected glancing at the table rapping the counter, "Look! Wash the dishes off and into the sink or none of you leave the table. The cook is out."

"So who was the guy with pointy ears?" Kaoru asked turning back to the remnants of his plate.

"That's Mr. Spock." She answered, "Second in command on the starship enterprise. And very snazzy in a suit."

"I don't like Captain Kirk." Honey commented

"No one does." Mikan answered

"Is it a very popular show?" Honey asked as he carried his plate as the two sets of twins began to splash each other with water.

"Yeah. I mean this thing is a phenomenon." She answered, "Really bad acting, but addicting. It's like crack." as she turned her head to the commotion by the sink.

"Stop fighting." Kagame yelled pulling the twins apart, "Go on. Sho and Jun your with me you have to come exercise-"

She didn't finish her sentence as the boys ran out leaving a pile of dishes in there wake for the others to handle, who turned back to the sink.

"You going to be okay for the next couple hours?" Kagame questioned the remaining groups who were actually almost done with the kitchen mess, though it was mostly Mikan and er she thought her name was Haruhi, doing the work.

"Look our two resident commoners." The twins smiled as they began to make for the door.

"Yeah." Mikan answered her sister, "You guys up for more star trek!"

"Startrek! This American drama is more amazing than the Japanese soap operas." Tamaki wailed as he danced around with the butter dish before Mikan retrieved it from his hands.

"All right. Star trek it is." She muttered as she began to load the dishes away.

…………….

"I think my eyeballs are going to fall out. If we have to watch one more episode." Mikan commented as they sprawled on top of each other. It was 5:30 in the afternoon and they all had been such couch potatoes.

"You know if we take off our socks this is an orgy.' She laughed as the others stared in confusion. They were sprawled onto of each other in one big mass of couch and flesh, relaxing, everyone to comfy to move anywhere. Mikan had her legs up under Honey as she laid on Mori's lap who ignored her presence and Cho who was curled up by Kyoya.

Mans best friend, Mikan had mused to herself. She was impressed the gang had been able to pick up the entire storyline, though getting them to quit watching was a different story.

"I should get home and do my homework." Haruhi said as she tried to pull herself up.

"Nah." the twins shook their head.

"We need to have a homework party." Mikan yawned, getting up, "All right everybody out, I have stuff to do, like take a shower."

"I agree." Kyoya said setting down Cho who yipped, "We've spent enough time here. Until Monday."

"Right." Mikan waved suddenly cursing, "Holy shit!"

"Bad puppy!" Honey smacked her

"No. No. Ugh. Okay yeah you guys have to get out of here. I'm really late for something." Mikan muttered, "Goodbye to all." as she thumped her way up the stairs.

"What's her deal?" Hikaru asked as he stretched his back, "Whoa we do smell."

"Where were you last night Haru-chan?" Honey asked as he clung to Mori.

"Oh well since Kagame had to go pick up her two brothers we ended up eating dinner at my house , while you guys were here watching star trek." She explained climbing up the stairs.

"Ahh! We missed dinner?" Tamaki asked, "How I would have longed for such a treat!"

"We wouldn't," the twins shook their heads, "Her brothers are annoying, pranksters."

"Like two brothers we know." Tamaki rebuked, "You two could learn a thing or two from them."

"Hey where's Mikan?" Honey asked glancing around the foyer.

"She had to go."Mori answered picking him up onto his shoulders as they walked out the door to the waiting car that had been called prior.

"Haruhi do you need a ride?' Mikan called from the top of the stairs.

"Yes." She answered running up the stairs to avoid from being dragged away by Tamaki who was yelling, "Come daughter! Come ride with daddy!"

"No it's oaky." She answered shutting the door to Mikan's room as she was gathering things into a duffel bag.

"Hey." She waved, "I forgot that I had rehearsals today. It doesn't really matter because-oh wait, what's today?"

"Sunday." Haruhi answered slowly

"Oh shit. Never mind, I already missed them." She huffed sitting on her bed, "They were on Saturday."

"Rehearsal?" Haruhi asked

"Oh well any group pieces we have big run through or we may have a class we're we critique each other on the piece." She answered with a shrug, 'They're not really important until recital time and then if you miss one and you might as well not show up at all."

"Sounds serious." Haruhi commented, "Don't they lose a lot of dancers?"

"Well, no, because anyone who is late is covered for." Mikan answered, "So the sensei never find out and they are never late again. But with my cast I only go to take notes and be present."

"Ah. So it's oaky?" Haruhi asked

"Considering I've only missed one class in the last five years?" Mikan asked, "Yep I'll say we're good."

"You have a nice house." she commented

"Oh this isn't my real house. It's temporary because my brother's banana python got loose and it's not really safe for us."

"Python?" Haruhi asked feeling her jaw drop.

"Oh yeah. Mostly harmless." She answered, "He spends his days crawling around in trees as the sound of the rainforest play around him."

"You have a python." She repeated

"Yep."

"Wow." Haruhi shook his head in disbelief.

"HEY! What are you two doing?"

Mikan glanced from the corner of her room, "Don't you two have some love making to do?"

"Oh shut up." Kaoru said playfully as they took over her bed.

"Is there a reason that your still here?" She asked crossing her arms.

"We want to stay with out puppy, because we will be bored at home." They answered

"I'm going home soon." Haruhi reminded them, "We were just waiting for her sister to come home."

"No! You'll come with us." They answered, "We need to take a shower anyways."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Haruhi asked confused

"Homework party!" Mikan yelled, "Come on I need to get out here and away from my family."

"Aww, we can show the puppy of to mom." They cooed," Go take a shower first you smell."

"Fine." She answered running to the bathroom.

"Does anyone else know you stayed?" Haruhi asked as they continued to explore her room, "What are you looking for?"

"Her diary. Or something personal." They answered, "Hey who's this?'

"Her dad probably." Haruhi answered glancing at the picture.

"How come she never talks about him?" They asked, "Maybe she's ashamed-"

"He's dead." Haruhi told them, "Skiing accident."

"Oh." They grew quiet for a minute before reverting back to their normal annoying selves digging through her drawers.

"Oh look at this!" Kaoru held up a pair of pink nylon tights, "You think she's an exotic dancer?"

"I don't know, but her underwear looks like floss." Hikaru laugh holding up a pair red laced panties as he flinged them across the room.

"Why are you invading her personal effects?' Haurhi asked, 'You wouldn't like it if she did the same to you."

"We expect she will." They answered, "We're just that cool."

"Right." Haruhi nodded, "Well I won't be coming, as I need to get homework done."

"Workaholic." They muttered

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "Well I do have a scholarship to maintain."

"What are you guys doing with my thong?"

They jumped to see Mikan standing in only a towel.

"Gah! Why are you-" They started before running out into the hall, as Haruhi blinked following them out.

Mikan shut the door behind them as they began to move around the hallway.

"She had no sense of modesty." Haruhi commented

"We realized that.' They answered as they looked at the picture, "Look at all these people."

"She must have a big family."

"Not really." Mikan called, "That's over a couple generations."

"Oh." They answered, "Are you dressed decently?"

"Yep." Mikan answered as she pulled on her skirt and adjusted her leggings as she pulled on her green cloth jacket grabbing a messenger bag, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." They answered heading the stairs.

"You know his is really weird. I never went over to peoples houses the first week I meet them." She commented

"Well technically you're out toy, so it doesn't matter if we bring you with us." The twins shrugged as she glared.

"Oh really I though I was a puppy, shouldn't that make you my toys." She asked and smiled, "Come on boys. I don't have all day."

Haruhi smiled as they fumed following Mikan down the stairs standing outside at Kagame who had just pulled up in the dirty blue jeep.

"I figured you guys could use a lift." She smiled as the twins laughed in the back seat.

"What happened to the limo?' The twins asked looking around.

"Oh my sister borrowed it." Kagame from the driver's sheet shrugging, "Oh wait no your limo drove off, my sister was in our limo. "

"That was fun!" Sho smiled as he jumped out of the back helmet in hand.

"Yeah I like how we went around those corners." Jun smiled at the twins, "I hope you guys have insurance."

Hikaru and Karou only stuck their tongues out crossing their arms at the twins who laughed walking into the house.

"Ready to ride like commoners?" Kagame asked as the twins hopped in the back with Haruhi in between who looked rather pale.

"Lolz." Mikan smiled as she slammed the door, buckling her seatbelt and looking over her shoulder, "You guys ever been in a jeep?"

"Is it anything like a bmw or a Porsche?" Hikaru asked

"Not really." Kagame answered with a wicked smile, "It's better."

"Whee!' Mikan laughed hysterically as the keep pulled out spitting gravel like Kagame always liked to do blasting the radio.

"I'm going to be sick." Haruhi muttered as she leaned over her knees putting her head down.

"What are you talking about?" They asked, "This is great. Faster."

Kagame flipped around a corner, slowing down though when they moved onto the highway, "I'll drop you guys off first. Where do you live?"

"We'll just point it out." They answered, "You want to take this main highway for at least another ten minutes, third exit, and then we'll be on some back roads."

"Allright." She answered as Mikan put her hand out the window.

"Haruhi you hanging in there." Mikan asked as she glanced at the girl who looked slightly pale.

She gave a slight nod of her head. She was very happy when they at last arrived at the twin's house well mansion.

"Nice digs." Mikan complimented.

"We do like it." They answered as Kagame pulled up to the front gate skidding.

"All right out, out, out."

Mikan stood waving good bye to a cloud of dust, "Hey where's Haruhi?"

"I think your sister took her." They answered, "We'll get her over here one day. Come on puppy. We'll go show you off."

"Lovely." She answered slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Oh wait." Hikaru smiled as if suddenly remembering, "Isn't it our turn to-"

"Why yes it is." Kaoru nodded, "It is a good thing you came over puppy."

"Why?" She asked cautiously.

"Training." They yelled together

"Hey look! Its Tamaki with his eyes gouged out!"

"Where?" They asked flipping around as she made a beeline for the nearest place to hide crashing through the gate and through a row of bushes.

"Come on puppy!" They called as they took after her.

"Damn this cast to hell." She cursed quietly to herself as she hit the ground, as they ran right by her.

"Puppy!' They called as she lifted herself off the ground limping through a rather extensive garden. She was lucky that it was still early fall, so there were still bushes if no flowers.

She paused resting on a bench breathing hard and fast as she laughed to herself.

"Yes. Escaped them."

"PUPPY!" They yelled from behind as she jumped into the air falling onto the ground.

"Silly puppy." They teased as they grabbed her under the arms and dragging her across the grass as she suddenly wished she had been able to stay with Kagame.

* * *

"You going to be okay?" Kagame asked as she dropped of Haruhi.

The girl nodded tripping over her feet.

"Allright let me help you up the stairs." Kagame shook her head, "I guess I should have been a little easier on you."

Haruhi shook her head, "Yeah. I'm just a little dizzy."  
She pushed open the door as Haruhi stumbled over. "Okay sit down." Kagame ordered as she dragged her over to a cushion, "I'll cook you dinner, what do you want?"

"What?" Haruhi asked confused

"I cook for a lot of people." She answered pulling out a few pans, "You're family now."

"You adopt easily." She noted

"Yep." Kagame nodded, as she fried up some already cut vegetable she pulled from the refrigerator, "It's always been like that in our family. My mom always had people at our house, well mostly my friends from high school, and of course Mikan's friends. I'm used to cooking a lot for everybody. By the way did you like my pancakes."

"Yes they were nice."

"So, what can you tell me about this club? I can't get a very detailed answer."

Oh so she wants to know more about the club, Haruhi noted, "Well it's nothing much. I'm a host and we're each something that represents a different personality, like I'm normal."

"Any hosts that are girls?" She asked

"No."

"Right." Kagame answered rolling her eyes, "So you just listen and entertain these girls? What does Mikan do?"

"Oh she serves tea and is doted upon by different hosts." Haruhi answered

"Oh okay that's a relief."

"I'm feeling a little better." Haruhi told

"Then go do your homework."

I actually don't have any. I did it all on Friday." She explained

"Wait, then why did you come home?" Kagame asked confused

"I just wanted some time to myself."

"I can understand. Those guys can really wear you out." She commented as she undid and redid her braid as something sizzled in the frying pan. She poured water in a pot letting it boil on the stove, "You seem to by yourself a lot."

"Well I see them at club and at school.' She shrugged, "This is the first time we've spent a weekend together."

"Ah." She answered pulling a deck of cards from her pocket, "Want to play?"

"Sure." She answered as Kagame came to sit, "Don't you have any friends your age?"

"Well yeah, but they're back in the states." She explained as she dealed out the cards," And I've been trying to figure out what to do with my life so it's been hard to meet anyone. I mean I really like your dad, he's hilarious."

Haruhi didn't comment as they began, "What are we playing?"

"War. 'She answered, "What do you think the twins are doing?"

"Probably training." Haruhi answered

'What?"

"Oh we're having this competition between the eight of us and we have to 'train' Mikan because she bit the twins."

"Oh. What's the prize?"

"I'm not sure." Haruhi answered, 'I think it was something like whoever wins gets to use her for a day."

"Interesting." Kagame smiled

"You're okay with it?'

"No better then anything I've done." She shrugged, 'Ha! I win." She scooped up the cards.

* * *

Mikan crossed her arms, "For the last time I am not going to jump through a hula hoop. Especially one that's on fire."

"But-" They stood on either side of the hoop.

"NO!" She yelled finally sitting on the floor.

"Fine." They answered snapping their fingers as some helper ran forward with a fire exhshtigusher dousing the flame quickly, "You not being very cooperative."

"Well, I haven't been rewarded for doing something good." She explained, "You've always hit me."

"Fine." They answered, "We'll give you a cookie everytime you do something good."

"Hold on. That's another thing, no doing crazy stunts or the like. I can't jump through fire hoops or juggle while riding a uni cycle."

"But you can balance right?' They asked, "A puppy should have good poise, it's a sign of good breeding. You can start by stacking these books on your head."

She forced her eyes up to see the books, about ten or so as she took of down the hall slowly walking though the book didn't waver.

"Okay Puppy, now hold still." They told her as she heard something being bended back.

"Guys what are you doing?" She asked not daring to turn around doing as she had been told, as all the book suddenly tumbled to the ground. She flipped to see Karou bowing as Hikaru clapped. They had shot a fricken arrow at her head.

"And what was the point of that?' She fumed as they laughed, "Target Practice."

"Relax Mikan.' Karou shrugged, "I've been doing bow and arrow since I could walk. I could shoot an apple of your head."

"No." Mikan answered crossing her arms.

"Well what if I did blind folded?" He asked

"Hell no.' She answered, "I don't need to be the one you miss on."

"Silly puppy." They answered once more patting her head.

"Yeah. Yeah." She yawned, "Where the food? I'm starving."

"Oh. We have our chef make you something." They smiled as they grabbed themselves an arm each and walked down the hall.

"I really want a toasted cheese." She told them as they plopped her down at a table and several minutes later a toasted cheese appeared.  
"That was fast."

"He's known for it." They answered as they sat staring at her.

"Are you going to just watch me eat?' She asked

"We ate before we started training." They answered

"What's the prize?" She aksed after a minute

"To use you personally for a day." They answered

"Oh, in that case I'll make sure I'll fail for you two." She answered ,"Can I get some water?"

They poured her a glass slding it over.

"Thanks." She smiled, "Gah stop staring at me."

"We're not staring." They answered rolling their eyes, "There's nothing else to look at."

She yawned, "What time is it?"

"About ten or so. Why?"

"I'm tired." She answered yawning, "I should call Kagame." as she laid her head on the table.

"We'll get the phone." as they left her to doze with her head on the table.

"Hello Kagame?" They asked

"Hello?" She answered, "Oh it's the twins. Right? What's happening?"

"Can you come pick Mikan up?' They asked

"Are you crazy? It will take me over an hour to get their in back, just drop her off will you?" Kagame yawned, "The doors unlocked I'm going to bed good night."

"Kagame!" They started but the phone went dead and they shrugged walking back into the dining room.

"Mikan." They nudged her on either side, but her head just lolled to the right.

"Awww sleeping puppy." They smiled as they yanked her chair out from under her.

Her head hit the table as she fell to the floor still fast asleep.

"I guess we have to carry her." Karou muttered grabbing her arms and pulling up, "You grab her feet."

"I don't think we'll be able to support her." He muttered, "You carry her."

"Fine." Karou answered lifting Mikan up huffing as he did it, "She's heavy for a puppy."

'Oh come on. Use that upper arm strength." Hikaru teased as Kaoru struggled to carry her out the limo sliding inside taking gulps of air as he set her down on the far left next to window clicking on her seatbelt.

"Heavy." he mumbled as Mikan leaned over onto his lap smacking her lips.

"You know it's odd, how easily we've taken to her." Hikaru said, "We've never become friends with someone so easily."

"I think it's because we've had a bad rap with her.' Kaoru commented stroking her hair, "She looks like a puppy. So cute."

"We are creepers. We're watching her while she sleeps." Hikaru shook his head.

"She was the one who fell asleep on us." Kaoru aruguged, "Though we may have knocked her out by accident when we pulled the chair out."

"She's got a nasty cut on her forehead." Hikaru noticed brushing her bangs out of the way, "Luckliy no one will remember."

"We have to be careful with her. Remember when she dumped water on us?" He asked, "She has a bite."

"One that's blunt. It's like when a dog teeths, it hurts maybe a tiny bit." Hikaru shrugged

"And she had Kyoya on her side." Karou continued

"She has the whole club on her side, it's the same with Haruhi." Hikaru shrugged, "Of course we'll just have to wait for Mikan to get some boy interested so then we can really screw with her."

"I like having a puppy." Hikaru commented, before the twins lasped into silence for a few minutes, "What do you think of her sister?"

"Kagame?" He asked, 'She knows how to have a good time."

"And how to drive." Hikaru added

"And cook apparently. I don't like the twins." Kaoru commented

"Annoying jerks they are." He nodded, "Reminds me of our younger days with less malice. What did we end up teaching her tonight?"

"How to stand still and take commands." Kaoru answered, "We can shoot the books off her head to show loyalty."

Hikaru had to laugh at that, "Oh that will be perfect. Since she won't jump through a fire hoop."

The limo pulled up to the gravel drive way coming to short halt.

"Wow we're here already." They commented together as they glanced out the window.

"Not carrying her." They yelled together.

"Fine. One two three. Not it." They yelled again together.

"I carried her out here.' Karou told him.

"Fine I'll bring her inside." Hikaru answered as he opened the passenger door and hauling her body out of the car onto the grass like a carcass.

"So heavy." He muttered lifting her up and to her door, before going up the stairs to her room.

"Don't drop her." Kaoru hissed as he set her on the bed still in her skirt.

"I didn't. Let's go. We still have school in the morning." Hikaru ordered walking back down the stairs and out the door to the limo.

"That we do." Karou nodded following close behind as they pulled out of the drive way.

"It's Haruhi's turn tomorrow isn't it?" Hikaru asked

"I think so." He nodded, "unless the order gets switched up."

"Very unlikely." Hikaru agreed as they lapsed once more into silence trying to comprehand how the heck a commoner had so very quickly been able to gain their attention. It wasn't like she was anything more than a toy, but she tugged them this way and that. Maybe it was because she had been the one to invite them in first. All of them. No holds, just come over to my place and make yourselves comfortable.

"Very strange." They murmured

* * *

.woah! long chapter. Enjoy. Review. Fav. Spay and Neuter your Camera's!


	14. A Preformance and A Secret

Thank you all for your wonderful support, especially to my friends, you guys have hung in there with me, sorry for the slow updates but you know how it is. I'm a paranoid author and I refuse to let this story die.

Without further ado chap 14, disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's, everything else is own by Bisco Hatori. (sp?)

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

Mikan really didn't mind training. Really she didn't, but she always thought the boys we're a little over the top when it came to anything they did.

Like how Tamaki had given her hugs and cookies every time she attempted something he ordered her to do. He was the most usual in his tricks, having her sit, lie down, roll over, play dead. The last one she played up a lot, reciting the famous line "to be or not to be" from what she could remember of _Hamlet_.

Kyoya was by far the creepiest to work with, choosing to teach her in the empty ballet studio and having her balance plates, cups, and bowls on her head turning around in a circle singing a nursery rhyme.

To Honey and Mori who ended up working tag team outside on the grounds by the cheery tree trying to make her do flips. She managed a full split with no hands even with her cast, but that was about it. Honey resorted instead to breaking teacups off her head with a single kick as she stood blinking every time she felt him barely miss hitting her head. Mori simply stood to the side, collecting the pieces, and handing her cookies as well.

This is all part of some eleborate scheme to eat me, she decided after the 30th cookie she ate, try to ignore how unhealthy she was being.

And Haruhi, well he was to busy studying to take time to 'train' her, so she instead settled to do what ever he asked when they got onto stage.

Improb as Kagame helped her define it.

She wished they had practice something as they stood on the stage facing a crowd of girls eager to see how all their 'hard training' had paid off. She felt more like she was in the middle of circus ring as she glanced from the curtains at the bright center stage, though she didn't bother to mention it to Tamaki who would have probably twisted it into some new horrifying creation with tigers and lions.

She hadn't realized that Ouran owned a full size theatre until they mentioned that's were there would be meeting now that she was being brought back from her haitus.

"Ready?" The twins asked holding their bow and arrow as the stood on the oppisite side othe curtain waiting to step out onto the stage.

She gulped hoping for god sakes that they didn't further maim her. It would be unsightly to have to dance with an eye patch.

She smiled, fake as she could manage walking out onto the stage in a brown skirt and top with her ears and collar. They wanted a dog, she give them a dog.

"Ladies, may we present Hikaru and Karou." some announcer read over the loud speakers as they all giggled, a unified sound that bounced off the high walls.

She walked to the center of the stage as Hikaru ran placing a teacup on her head as Karou set up the target for the arrow to hit behind her.

Karou fired the first arrow and the eeww and awwwed it from afar as they sat watching from the audience. MIkan was begning to feel stupider by the minute. They lapped up the attention while she tried not to twitch for fear of being pierced.

They bowed and gestured toward each other, while she stood behind them arms crossed. Oh sure they bowed, lapped up the attention, while they completely ignored her.

She needed to do something to make it interesting as the twins bowed once more and Tamaki walked on stage in all his flourish waving an arm, smiling. His teeth white enough to blind the audience.

Yui probably out there right now with her sunglasses, Mikan mused as Tamaki gave her the first order. The stage light had narrowed down to just the two of them as she stood once again in the center.

"Sit."

She stared at him cocking her head, like she had the slightest clue what he was talking about.

He blinked and walked over to her, glaring down and smacking her head, before walking away once more.

Mikan smiled as she began to mimic her own puppies yip, as she began to play dead. Limping around the stage, dragging herself forward as she gasped, finally grabbing onto his ankle and letting out a final death rattle before collapsing totally to the floor with a twitch.

"Playing dead." Tamaki announced as the girls clapped. Mikan smiled to herself as he gave the next command, "Roll Over."

She stayed still.

"Roll over." he said again when she didn't respond, he knelt down shaking her, "Puppy? Puppy?"

She sat up licking his face as he grimiced wiping off her spit, as she laugh rolling on the floor.

The girls laughed with her, clapping again louder this time.

Mikan stood up tapping the king on the head, "Sit."

Tamaki sat quickly on the floor.

"Stand." She ordered again.

He stood.

"Turn in a circle."

He turned.

"Good boy. Isn't he a good boy?" She asked the girls who whooped and hollered before Tamaki bowed and jogged of the stage beaming.

She waited for Honey and Mori to come out. Honey was decked out in his karate uniform, with the familiar black belt.

Mikan felt her eye twitch, knowing she couldn't pull the same stunt.

"Puppy." Honey ordered as she walked over as Mori placed a teacup on her head, turning her to face the audience.

She took a deep breath waking for the familiar whoosh of air as Honey came soaring over her head.

"Mori." Honey gesturted to the giant who stood towering over her. This wasn't in the script, she thought despertly though their was no time to react as something twack hard against the tea cup on her head.

The crowd was dead silent, before Honey held up to equal halves of the tea cup. . She wasn't sure, she even wanted to know what they had used to break it so cleanly.

They waited for the girls to quiet down again before the started once more.

Honey smiled as Mori placed another teacup on her head, stepping out of the way. The lights lowered to just her and Honey. He was crouched behind her, she knew it.

And then the small pit pat of his bare feet against the stage before he soared over her head, kicking off the tea cup the shattered from the impact into a millions pieces before he landed in a crouch on the floor in front of her.

He stood up as the lights came back on and the girls clapping sounded like rain on roof tops. Mikan had almost forgotten what applause sounded like finding herself lost in the moment as she beamed lapping up the burning bright stage light.

She was dancing, turning, splits, jetes, side leaps, fetes, aerobeausqes to the beat of the music, as the audience clapped the night away, happy to be enetertained.

She shook her head as she realized it was Kyoya's turn. She had been looking foreward to this that least.

He walked onto stage producing a single saucer and plate, as she took it placing it on her head.

Only instead of turning she slid into a split, leaning over far enough to slip the saucer and tea cup onto the front her right leg as she slowly reached up bending back far enough to press herself flat against her left leg.

She swung the leg around letting her arms follow, as she slowly raised her head. She grabbed the tea cup and saucer holding them for the audience to see ,before she placed it on her head swinging her left leg up and around. First to the front at a 90 degree angle, then to the side, and finally to the back lifting it high into the air, as she let her arms assume the proper placment for a back extension. She leaned down letting her leg reach higher as the teacup and saucer stayed balanced on the top her head.

She brought her arms to a circle in the front before she lowered her leg, coming to first posistion with her feet, and reaching the cup and saucer of her head.

There was silence, and then a sudden thunderous applause, that lasted for at least a minute as Kyoya stood in the shadows, letting her enjoy the spot light.

She beamed doing a small bow, before gesturing to Kyoya as the girls went wild.

She bowed once more, before strutting off the stage to the waiting host memebers who had been waiting in the wings who stared at her.

"What?" She asked, "I'm flexaible."

"Mikan that was like a rubber band." Karou commented as he suddenly smiled at his brother who seemed to have the same nasty thought. She tried to ignore what ever the hell it could be , as she realized something important, "Where's Haruhi?"

"He ran to the bathroom." The twins shrugged.

"I'll go check on him." Mikan commented as the boys headed once more the stage, so the girls could vote one who had the best act. Mikan didn't wait around, she didn't need to hear the costant screams of KYA! Her legs was throbbing now anyways, as she mentally smacked herself for pulling such a stunt. She didn't stretch, barely been able to use that leg for any dance routines and look her pulling simple bar routines.

"Haruhi?" Mikan called as she walked out into the hallway. Her ears were ringing from the sudden impact of silence.

"Mikan?" Haruhi asked he glanced around as he stood behind a piece of pottery on a pedstal. He looked emabressed and sick at the same time as he clutched his middle.

"What's wrong?" Mikan asked suddenly worried, "Are you sick?"

"Please promise you won't tell anybody." Haruhi asked as he grabbed her wrist as he looked rather panic. Mikan blinked and said slowly, "Okay. But if your confessing to murder I can't guraentee I won't tell the police."

"Do you have any tampax?" He asked ignoring the previous statement as he glanced around quickly.

Mikan blinked, "Tampax."

He nodded again, "Tampax."

"You're a she?" Mikan asked as she suddenly felt the world begin to spin as she blinked again, "Uh. Sure. In my locker. Come with me."

"Thank you.' Haruhi said breathlessly, "I'm usually prepared."

"You're a she.' Mikan started again, "That's arkward. So do you usually dress like a boy or is this a new stage for you?"

"What?" Haruhi asked confused, 'No. No."

Mikan tried to clear her suddenly very fuzzy head, as she erased all prior images she had of Haruhi as a guy. This just, was plain, "Arkward."

" I'm sorry, but the host club decided that it should be a secret." Haruhi started

"No. No. You start form when this whole thing started. Just how the hell did you end up playing a boy whose a girl to entertain a bunch of girls." Mikan shook her head as they walked down to the locker.

Haruhi sighed starting from the very begning of the first day she had discovered the host club.

* * *

"Mikan are you okay?" The twins asked they glanced at their rather dazed puppy as she wandered back stage. She laughed nervously and nodded, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be all right? Who wants toast? Do you an ice pack my leg is killing me!"

"No, but we can stop by the nurse." They answered as they helped to steady her woozy form, perhaps she had been out into the hot stage light a little to long.

"So uh, who won?" She asked raising an eyebrow and glancing up at them.

"Suprisingly." They sighed with a shrug,"It was a tie between the entire club."

"Wow." Mikan raised an eyebrow crossing her arms as they turned to go out the back stage door, "So I guess nothing changes? "

They shrugged as they threw their arms around her walking together down the long stretch of hall, matching their strides to hers, "Eh nothing can stay the same for long. The important thing is, you're still our puppy."

"How do I get the feeling this was Kyoya arrangement for profit." She muttered

"Well we had to pay for the theatre somehow." They shrugged as she laughed glad that it was 'back to normal'.

* * *

lala

a/n: sorry for the short chapter, this is a filler, but alot of stuff has happened as you can see. I did ballet for about ten years, so I know what I'm talking about when Mikan is preforming, thought the terms are tricky to spell. I hope you enjoyed, longer chapter next time. Update will become more frequent as I get more of a surplus of newer chapters.

as always review or fav


	15. Is it nap time yet?

lalalla another chapter please enjoy, they are coming faster, because I have such a surplus and I have a very developed plot so now we get to the nitty gritty.

disclaimer: own only my oc's

* * *

Chapter 15

Haruhi glanced out at the snow covered ground as Mikan shivered beside her.

"It's so damn cold." She muttered as she huddle closer to her, "Come keep me warm."

Haruhi glanced as Mikan tried to hug her to closer to as some source of body heat. Haruhi shrugged her off as they neared the entrance of the school, saying" Please Mikan. I don't need you hanging off me."  
"Fine I see how it is." She answered hugging as she crossed her arms, "This is the last time I let you walk with me across campus."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "If you had check to make sure that door was open we would have been walking through the halls and not snow."

"I didn't realize it snowed in Japan.' Mikan complained

"It doesn't often in this area." Haruhi answered, "This is new."

"How nice of it then." Mikan shivered as she pulled on her skirt, "Why the heck did I wear a skirt?"

"Because you refuse to wear dresses?" She answered raising an eyebrow as they opened the front lobby door as a wave of heat greeted them and mikan seemed to melt onto the floor.

"At least your out of your cast." Haruhi continued," That would have been twice as difficult to tromp through the snow."

"Yeah true that." Mikan nodded. She could hardly believe how fast the months seemed to go. One minute she was in the cast, the next her leg was healed and she was back into dance class practicing harder then ever. It had been hard, but she had at least managed to do some of the basic turns and jumps.

Of course, the twins had discovered her flexibility and had decided on a new game, called, "How far can we make Mikan bend." Nothing else had changed besides that.

Rumors popped up every few days or seconds depending if someone had seen something interesting. She had all but gotten used to it, her popularity in the club soaring since the competition. The costumers decidedly now saw her as a trained puppy and nothing more. Mikan had found her own way of setting the boundaries though as how far they could carry that.

If they tossed a 'treat' at her, she simply would steal anything she wanted off their tray, if they demanded why she was studying alone with Mori she would cock her head like didn't know what they were saying and walk on.

Being a puppy did have it perks.

The girls finally caught on, backing off in order to keep their pride and lunches intact. Now they only laughed and giggled, and carried on what ever little fantasies they could conjure up to their own private circles.

Mikan had to keep the urge to frolic down the halls jumping and turning to a minimum in case she fell down the stairs or knocked into a door.

"We are so late today." Mikan muttered, "They ask we were at the library."

"We were at the library. You had to go outside and get us locked out." Haruhi reminded her, "I wonder what they'll do if we're late."

"Use me as a personal toy." Mikan answered, "Oh no wait they already do that."

Haruhi pushed open the door as the already assembled host club greeted them.

"Welcome." The greeted with smile, probably assumed they were costumers.

"Finally!" MIkan yelled, as Haruhi crawled into the corner out of pure shock. They had made it look like the tropics with rare exotic plants and birds and mother in heaven knew what else.

"What am I'm wearing today?' Mikan asked as she loosened her tie standing in front of the gathered group, "I'm hope you don't expect me to wear my usual outfit. It's hot enough in here to melt popsicles."

She giggled as she muttered something about men and popsicles. The twins were all two happy to show her the outfit they had prepared.

Haruhi listened as she pulled out her small pocket calendar, "According to this it's the middle of December."

"Its commoners feeling to be afraid of the cold and to put yourself-"Tamaki started standing up and walking over to her gesturing around with one hand.

Haruhi blocked out the long ramble Tamaki started on, about men this and kittens that. He was on about how to be a gentleman, etc, etc as Mikan ran by in a headdress the twins yelling orders at her.

"Alright. All right. I'm going to change. And then I'll get your fricken fruity drinks." She hollered as she pushed by disappearing into the bush as she set free a few tropical birds that were scared away.

"Ah you should wear your own costume." Tamaki started as he dragged her through the same bushes to a waiting plastic model that Mikan seemed to look at with a suspicious eye as she poked it a few times.

"They're known to come alive." She hissed as she took off the wrapped top and skirt. Haruhi didn't like the look at her exuberant costume, with a headdress and full skirt.

"Why can't I have something like that?" She complained pointing as Mikan slipped on the skirt and pulling off her yellow mini skirt.

"How the heck does this top go?" Mikan complained as she disappeared behind a bush as her shirt and tie appeared in a pile in front. She emerged a minute later with a rather skimpy tube top, her hair wrapped up in a pretty cloth. It resembled a bun, Haruhi noted as she walk by running off to serve costumers.

"I'll go to my own table." Haruhi said simply as she walked over, leaving Tamaki with her costume, crying over the fact she refused to be adorable.

"Aww. Tamaki." The girls cried as they gathered around his withered form. He immediately recovered, "No. I'm fine. Please come sit." He gestured as they giggled following him to the nearest table snapping his fingers, "Puppy."

Mikan came huffing over carrying the tray of pineapple juice and something else as she slammed down the drinks. She had a lot of people to serve, being so late.

"What about the umbrellas?" Tamaki asked leaning on his hand, "You can't expect us to drink without umbrellas."

She glared," Excuse me your majesty." before she returned with several small paper umbrellas propping them into the drinks before walking away as the twins cried for her.

"Haruhi take this." She handed of the empty drink and tray to her hands, running off to serve the twins.

"What took you so long?" The twins complained.

Mikan didn't say anything but walked by before dropping off several drinks, searching for Honey and Mori next, as the girls screamed kya as the twins carried on their act.

"The girls seem rather tense today." Haruhi started as she bumped into Kyoya still holding the empty drink tray.

"Well, being slightly naked is very popular." He nodded as he pushed up his glasses, "We were going to have Santa cosplay, but I pushed the bali book in front of Tamaki."

Haruhi leaned away as Kyoya had once again show how manipulated he was.

"I think you have costumers." He commented as he took the tray and drink shoving them into Mikan arms as she ran around again with a pitcher this time. A host of flower necklaces around her neck.

"I can hardly find my way around in here." Mikan complained as she kept walking, wincing at the sudden cries of Kya every time she passed by the twin's table.

"Puppy come here." Honey ordered as he sat from his perch on mori drinking juice right from the coconut, placing an umbrella in her wrapped hair.

"Thank you." She said bluntly rubbing her eyes and gulping a glass herself setting down the glasses on the table.

"Is your puppy okay?" a girl asked Honey as he sat smiling, "She doesn't seem as perky as she usually is."

"She's tiered." Mori answered for Honey who glanced up at his tall friend.

"Mika-chan been studying hard these past few months for the big math test." He answered, "Lots of late nights."

"Aww. " The girls cried, "And look how hard she's working."

Mikan ran straight into a tree, spilling drinks on the floor, muttering to herself as she quickly placed everything back on the tray.

"Mori go bring the puppy over here." Honey ordered as the giant rose steering the twitching puppy as she shook holding the tray sitting down yawning.

"Hi." She waved at the two girls who giggled.

"Puppy." Honey yelled hugging her, "Good puppy."

"Kya." The girls yelled. Mikan blinked, they obviously found something adorable about the senior squeezing her breasts.

"Alright. Come on. I got to keep serving." She yawned again gulping more pineapple as Honey kept hold onto her back. The girls crying kya even louder as Mori sat still and silent as usual at the table following where Mikan went in case Honey slipped off.

"Giddy up!" Honey yelled as Mikan walked faster carrying the tray running by the twins once more, picking up empty drinks.

"MIkan why do you have Honey on your back?" they asked

"Idon'tknow." She slurred carrying the tray, "Haruhi. Gotta serve Haruhi."

Honey yelped in surprise as Mikan lifted him off plopping him in the costumers lap as she handed Haruhi the pitcher.

"Two triangle that meet at an angle equal 90 degrees." She mumbled walking away, carrying the glasses as Haruhi stared.

"I'm sorry. You'll have to excuse her." She muttered blinking as the girl only laughed and flashed another smile.

"I don't mind at all." She answered as she lifted Honey out of her lap as he scampered off most likely to find Mori.

"I'm glad." Haruhi smiled as Tamaki felt himself become infuriated.

"Mikan go stand over there and find out what there saying.' He ordered the rather confused and dazed puppy who blinked, nodded and grabbed Honey carrying him back over.

"Here's your umbrella." She said setting Honey on the table who was laughing, as she stood at Haruhi's side, "Please let me know if you need anything else."

"I think we're fine." Haruhi told her, but Mikan didn't seem to be paying any mind. The girl continued to talk about this and that. Something about tea.

"Tea?" Mikan asked suddenly snapping out of a daze, "Yes I'll go get tea. I'm sorry I'm so late." as she walked away. Tamaki flapped his arms steering her back over to the table as Honey ate the cake at the table smiling swinging his legs.

This wasn't going to work at all, she needed to be hidden, Tamaki realized as he moved a bush toward were Haruhi was sitting and then setting Mikan behind the bush.

"Tamaki what are you doing?" Kyoya questioned as the king retreated back to the entrance pacing back and forth.

"Spying." He answered, "I have to see what makes Haruhi better then me. Why I'm no longer the favorite. My kingship depends on it." as he continued to glance over

"Oh it's that girl." he asked writing something in his pad, "I don't think you have a very reliable spy."

"Huh?' Tamaki questioned as he glanced over realizing Mikan had fallen asleep as Tamaki muttered something about puppies, before crawling away.

Kyoya debated for a minute and decided there was no harm in letting her rest her eyes for a few minutes. She had been studying hard on top of the entire dance, coming in early to get help with her math. It seemed with the approached of the end of the term, it was brining added stress as she worried about her math exam.

Besides he was going to loose more profit if she was falling asleep every time she had to serve costumers, or even worse drive them away.

"Is the puppy allowed to sleep?' The twins asked as they glanced around him.

"For now yes.' Kyoya answered, "Don't you have costumers to attend to."

They walked away glancing back once more before they returned to their act. It was easier to make them go wild, with just running their hands over each other's bare chest and shoulders, though it wasn't quite the same without Mikan's remarks of disgust. Then again she was busy sleeping against an imported palm tree and they didn't want her drooling all over them.

There were two things Mikan was best at, serving drinks and sleeping, they decided as they smiled at the girl sitting at their table. They were so easy to entertain, it was nice to have an easy audience.

* * *

Tamaki couldn't comprehend it. He sat in the corner slurping down commoner noodles as Mikan prepared another bowl just in case he demanded more. She hadn't been happy about falling asleep against the palm tree, as it caused her back and neck both to be sore. Her body was going to kill her tonight in class. She shook her head as she rubbed her temples, "Too much salt will cause headaches."  
"It's no use. He's addicted." The twins told her as she walked away from the lost cause leaning over their shoulders to see what they were planning.

"400 girls!" She asked her mouth dropping open, "I hope you don't think I'm going to be serving all those people myself."

"Oh no." Kyoya told her with a small smiled, "Only half."

She felt her eye twitch as she shook her fist at him.

"Milord stop moping and help us plan." Karou ordered

"He doesn't like it that Kasuga-hime took Haruhi." Hikaru commented

"Took?" Mikan asked as Honey interjected, "It's not like her illness just started."

"Illness?" Mikan asked again starting to get tired of being blantly ignored.

The twins sighed and continued to explain, "Usually a regular guest will stick with one host forever, but she likes to switch her favorite now and then."

"It was Tama-chan's turn a while ago." Honey told her as Mikan nodded suddenly reminded how much they really were man whores.

She blinked walking away as Haruhi nodded, "So it's all because I took his guest…"

"No!" Tamaki screamed," That's not it."

How did he make her see. It shouldn't be that hard. It wasn't fair or proper for her to be so popular with the girls and boys, when she herself was a girl. He wanted her to be a young lady, a proper young lady.

He let out a loud rant as he ran over to his bag digging through his things for the one thing that would make her see.

"Daddy wants you to look like this!" Tamaki cried brandishing a photo, just as he realized his mistake, though no one else seemed to catch on what exactly that was.

"Don't enlarge my photo without permission." Haruhi hissed glaring at the large middle portrait of herself.

"Kya! Where's the puppy?' Tamaki cried throwing the portrait at Kyoya, "Did she see?"

"Tamaki?" Mikan asked surprised as he grabbed her leering close to her face as he asked in a very serious tone, "Did you see that?"

"If your referring to the fact that Haruhi is a girl, I've known since we held the competition in November." She answered with a slight smirk and then added, "Could you let me go? Your hurting my arms."

"Sorry." He yelled hugging her tighter as she pressed the empty bowl against his stomach forcing him to drop her.

"How did you find out?" The twins asked as they finished oggoling at how a simply patch of gum had turned Haruhi into a boy.

"I got my period." Haruhi interjected as she stole back the portrait mentally swearing to burn it, "I needed a tampax."

"Mori?" Honey asked glancing at the giant, "What's a tampax?"

The giant seemed to go beat red as Mikan slapped her face, and said simply, "Ask your mom Honey. She'll explain all. '

"Okay." He smiled as he skipped away to eat cake that she had set out, happily distracted.

Mikan laughed at Mori patting him on the back walking away as she worked to finish clear away the glasses. A moving crew, to her great relief and surprise, had carried out every thing else though she did get to keep her costume.

"Mikan do you know how to dance?" Haruhi whispered as she came up beside her.

"What kind of dance?" She asked slowly

"Ballroom dance." The twin shouted happily together forcing her into the middle, "We can carry you Mikan, and we'll have a medical team on hand in case you break something else."

She crossed her arms as she shoved them away catching Kyoya smile at their comment. She suspected he was the only one who knew that she danced. She didn't feel to make it known to everyone that she was training to become a professional ballerina. It was bad enough the twins tried to grab her legs to see her stretch it straight next to her body.

She didn't want them trying lifts and turns, since they could barely support her just carrying bridal style and they had almost dropped her enough to make her run whenever they wanted to give it a go.

"I don't have to warn you about how we need to keep Haruhis gender a secret?" Kyoya asked as she walked by.

"You knew I knew from the moment I walked back from checking on her." Mikan scolded as she walked by heading toward the kitchen, "Beside we're friends, and friends don't betray other friends."

"Yes it would be rather hard to explain to your mother why you had to leave the country." He smiled

"And it would be rather hard to explain to your father why his son was no longer able to reproduce." Mikan quipped, as she skipped away humming to herself. Kyoya smile faded, before he made a simple note in his pad.

_Learn how to block kicks._

* * *

"You said what?" Kagame asked as Haruhi and Mikan sat in the truck. Kagame had traded the open top jeep in turn for something for compatible for the winter.

"I said it would be rather hard to explain why he couldn't reproduce." Mikan smiled as Kagame laughed.

Haruhi sat in the middle as Mikan turned to stare out the window. She had begun to accept rides from the sisters as she had gotten tiered of waiting for her dad who was sometimes late or taking a bus. It felt silly to ask one the of the boys to her every day, since they would have made a large fuss over it.

She glanced at the black and silvered haired Kagame and smiled. She like hanging with Mikan because she didn't have to worry about making sure no one guessed that she was a girl. Kagame had long suspected that Haruhi was a girl, and the fact that she was had made her all the more cocky as she rubbed in the fact that Mikan used to have a crush before she found out.

"Mikan do you know how to ballroom dance?" Haruhi repeated the question as she pressed her hands against the trucks heater.

"Um, I know how to do a waltz ballet style. Other then that no. I used to spin around with my friend back home, but she always yelled at me because I couldn't keep up with her steps." She answered flipping her hair and pulling her hat over her ears, "Are they really going to cut your debt in half?"

"Yes." Haruhi sighed," I just hope I can master the waltz."

"Waltz?" Kagame asked intrigued, "Is that all? That's nothing. You'll have it down three weeks pat."

"I don't have three weeks." Haruhi answered as she covered her face with her hands.

"Did I say three weeks? I meant three days." Kagame corrected herself as she pulled the truck up to the icy sidewalk splashing snow onto the side of the curb.

Mikan climbed out of the small pickup slipping to the ground as Haruhi jumped down with her briefcase.

"See you tomorrow." Mikan smiled giving Haruhi a quick hug and jumping back up to the cab and waving good-bye. Haruhi ran around to the front as Kagame mouth curse words slamming her hand on the steering wheel as the truck sputtered for a minute and then started again letting them pull quickly back out into the main road.

Haruhi didn't understand if they were rich, why Kagame insisted in driving on a less then reliable rusty pick up.

Mikan had tried to make her understand the attachment Kagame shared with each other her cars. The pick up had help her run many an ex boy friend off the property or so she said.

Haruhi gripped the rail as she climbed the stairs quickly throwing open the apartment door.

"I'm home dad." She called as she dropped her brief case to the floor happy to be home at last.

"Hi daughter of mine." He smiled hugging her and giving her a kiss on each cheek, "Did that nice Kagame drop you off again?"

"Yep." She nodded. Her dad was decked out in his usual women garb, his hair done today, "What do you want for dinner?'

"What ever you make I always love." He answered with a hug.

Haruhi smiled and rolled her eyes rooting around for ingredients. She was actually a little surprised that the club hadn't given Mikan such a hard time today.

They should have know something like that would never stay secret for long, not with someone who hung around as much as Mikan. She was always at someone's house, or she kept having them over to her place cooking, watching TV, commoner things as the guys quickly dubbed them. At least while she had her cast on, since she couldn't be expected to go ice skating with it or snow boarding, or anything relatively dangerous.

"Haruhi can I help?"

She smiled and shook her head no, "You should be resting dad. You have a long night tonight."

"Ah. But you have studying to do and homework." He started

"It's fine." She answered with a shrug dumping in the vegetables that sizzled, "Dinner will be ready soon enough."

They always ate pretty early compared to most families. She remembered eating over at a friend's house and being shocked that they didn't start dinner until 18:00.

They usually finished eating then, and he would leave as she started homework.

She like it that way. It was a much simpler clean up, and no distractions like an empty stomach to keep her from work.

Of course it was different at Mikan's, where Kagame usually asked what they wanted to eat and threw something together. It depended on the night, because the twins may have been running off some where to sports or Ayumi her youngest sister going to friends for dinner.

Haruhi smiled at the memory. Kagame had been making pizza, getting the dough instead stuck on the ceiling so had decided to simply make spaghetti, though failing to get open the can to make sauce.

Luckily Mikan had something called easy mac, that cooked in five minutes and they had both been starving. 'Not as good as the real thing,' She had commented to her, 'Good Enough' Haruhi shrugged.

Sometimes she wished she could just do microwave meals, but they were really unhealthy. She dumped the final dish on two plates as she sat down with her dad.

That was another thing, Haruhi had never seen Mikan's mom. She always seemed to be busy.

Mikan had explained it once to her, 'My mom's a writer. That's how we got all of this. Her novel hit it big, and now she's been to dinners, and sitting with her editor of the day to go through manuscripts. She goes through editors like Kagame does boyfriends. If she doesn't like them, she drops them on the side of the road. I'm lucky to have her. I'm glad for when I do get to see her.'

Haruhi could understand that. It was the same with her father. He worked hard, and she was glad to see him whenever he could spare a minute.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked

"Nothing." Haruhi answered as she dug into her meal, "This is good."

"Everything you make is good." Her dad smiled as he got up for seconds.

* * *

"Kagame this does not count as one of your best meals." Mikan muttered

"I know. I think I went a little to much with the sauce." Kagame answered as she dumped the burnt chicken into the trash, "I just wanted to impress mom."

"Impress or kill?" Mikan asked as she headed to the back pantry for some noodles.

"Who's trying to kill me?"

"Hi mom." Mikan yelled grabbing a box as she ran to greet her mom who seemed tiered.

"Oh I am so ready for some crap food." She muttered stealing the box, "Sorry sweetie can you get another one."

"I'll get it." Kagame told her as she left Mikan to sit down with her long awaited parental unit.

"I missed you." Mikan cried, "It's been a long time since I've been able to see you."

"I know." She answered hugging her back as she pulled hair out of its complex twist into a ponytail, "And how's my lil ballerina doing?"

"Good now that the cast is off." Mikan answered watching the microwave table spin, "How's the new novel coming?'

"Good. The first one sold like hot cakes." She smiled hugging herself, "Of course I gave one to your aunty Cloe. She had demanded back when I was writing it in Highschool that when I got published that she give me the first copy."

"And I had to drop this new editor. He was trying to push me to get a squeal in two months. Two months."

"Ah." Mikan nodded, "You like to take your time right?'

"Yes. Mikan what have I always said?" She asked pulling the hot bowl of noodles out of the microwave.

"Don't get into a car with a strange boy?" Mikan answered

"Yes." Natsumi nodded, "But good things take time."

"And don't rush her or risk losing your head." Kagame commented as she threw a pack of easy mac to Mikan who caught it.

"Where's your sister?" Natsumi asked, "The twins?"

"Karate. Soccer." Kagame answered, "You going to be home at all to see them grow up or am I'm going to revert to being the mother."

"Nonsense." She huffed, "That's what Mikan is for."

"Thanks mom." Mikan rolled her eyes as she pulled out a bowl filling it with water.

"Did Mikan tell you about the host club?" Kagame asked crossing her arms. It was hard to remember what they hadn't told their mom in their nightly emails about their day.

"Yes. I actually met the twins mother.' She answered, "She's designing my dress for a Christmas party as a thank you. Apparently I've boosted her sales since I wore that top they gave to Mikan as a present."

"Oh I was wondering what happened to that." Mikan sighed, "So you know all about it?"

"That my little girl playing servant?" She asked with a shrug, "Of course."

"That's Kagame's wording mom. I hold my footing with them." She huffed.

"I know sweetie. I'm messing with you." She shrugged slurping down more noodles, "How's math?'

"Good. Tiring." Mikan answered as she grabbed her bowl heading up stairs, "I'm going to go do homework."

Natusmi turned back to Kagame, "She been sleeping okay? '

"Yeah." She shrugged, "I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do, been cooking a lot since everyone brings people over here. Twins are being busy at the public school with sports. Best on the team. And Ayumi loves her school, she's always at friends houses."

"That-that is nice to hear. Good friends?"

"From what I can tell." Kagame nodded, "She takes the limo a lot. She's changed."

"I know. It's good for her. And Mikan? She getting along? She's not having sex yet is she?"

Kagame rolled her eyes, just because she had done with one time her senior year, her mom always was asking if Mikan was following in her footsteps , "Nope. I would be able to tell. They are handsome bunch though."

"Oh yeah. Lucky girl she is." Natsumi nodded, "I wish I could be home more often. To see my babies."

"Well the horses miss you to mom." Kagame snorted, "They cry all night for you."

"I'll be home for a day or two so maybe I'll get to see them. Have you been keeping them in shape?"

"Oh yeah." Kagame nodded, "I take at least three for a gallop a day. Mikan rides when she can get her homework done, and the twins are out there often enough when they don't have school work. And Ayumi walks the ponies around the fence taking them through their paces. "

"Good.' She nodded again.

Kagame smiled. She loved being 21. She talked to her mom like a fellow adult. Sometimes she thought the roles were reversed and she was the mom while she was the daughter.

"You look beat. Go relax." Natusmi shooed her out the kitchen as she strapped on a pair of yellow cleaning gloves.

Kagame smiled walking away. It was very nice to have her home.

* * *

A/N: Hello again. Thank you for the wonderful reviews. A few things to clear up, Mikan got to school when it had already started, she's a transfer student so in the manga this is around the time their starting preprations for the christmas party.

I had one reviewer say that Mikan took a lot of smack from the girls. Of course she does, unless someone takes her on directly she won't curse them out and if it's outside of school she doesn't have a problem at all, but she doesn't want to get kicked out for disorderly conduct. I think I explained that a little more in this chapter, and the girls don't really bother her since they know what happens to bullies.

I had some questions about when she's going to fall in love. My view on love is that unlike a lot of kids falling in 'love' for a week, its a feeling that grows with time. The host club while they are friendly are slow to let anyone outside their group in, so it takes time for their relationships to grow. She will fall in 'love' not saying who it is, but the story is not the focus. It's going through the years at ouran and dealing with normal and abnormal teenage issues along the way, while focusing also not just on my oc's but on the original characters as well. You can't learn everything about someone in a year much less fall in 'love' with boys you hardly know .

She does have her cast off now, so she'll be able to go back to dancing. Yeah for Mikan!

Mikan's mom is a writer, if your wondering and that's why she's often away, because of book talks, meetings, etc.

Early on Mikan was really out of character at the host club, and that was because she was exshusted from dance, studying for her math exams and her regular school work.

Hopefully I cleared everything up. This is alot to edit and I try my best to catch mistakes so if a word is mispelled along the way like of instead of off please forgive.


	16. Plans, Plans, Plans

lalalalala

Here's another chapter my wonderful readers, this thing is a monster I'm saying that right now, so hopefully you stick through to the end with me!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ouran host Club owned not by me, all oc's are mine.

* * *

Chapter 16 Plans, Plans,Plans

Mikan was smiling as she bent over the bar. Her dance friends stared at her. They all attended the public schools, meaning she only got to see them at practice and maybe if they were lucky a day on the weekend. Their scheludes were so conflicting it was hard for them to find any time outside of school and dance. She wasn't sure if she really call them 'friends' per say. They saw each other a lot more than they saw her. It made it hard to get in on anything they were planning.

"Mikan what are you so happy about?" They whispered to her as the classical music blasted over the stereo.

"Nothing." She answered. She had always loved Christmas time. Mom was going to be home for a week come Christmas eve, and Mikan was already thinking of celebrating New Year's Eve at her house.

"How's your leg?"

"Fine." She sighed as she stretched her tense muscles. This class was an hour and half long tonight, followed by another two hours of basic rehersal. She of course had her period today in school for an hour and half, not to mention all the dancing she did in the halls for the fun of it. Her neck hurt from sleeping on the palm tree though as she tried to stretch it out.

Her leg of course meant she be sitting out the companies rendiditon of the _Nutcracker_, and Ouran had already held it's casting for their show. She didn't mind, as there was always the shows in the spring, and the end of the year recital with the public company.

It was almost a good thing in a way, so she didn't have to worry when she would study for math. No shows for her, meant no need to worry about crazy pratices that lasted hours on end. Besides if she did dance, she would miss out on the christmas party the host club was holding. Kagame was going to kill her though if she didn't bring the boys over after the dance. She had promised a feast.

"And one two three-"

Mikan went through the basic bar warm up. She had done it some many times, in so many different variations it was like it was simply drilled into her head.

"Mikan curve your hand more!" The order came.

She curved her fingers automatically as she leaned over brushing the floor coming out of her demi plie.

Class seemed more depressing as it wore on. She could only walk through complex turns, frustrated when her senshi ordered her into a demi relve in her pointe shoes.

She complied without question, knowing it was the best for her in the end as she watched the routine marking each move, tapping along, and making notes of who was over turned, who needed to fix their hips, curve their fingers.

When the clock showed nine o'clock, when the final cd had been packed away, and the last girl left the class her 2nd instructor paused to talk with her.

"Mikan. I know your very disappointed at not being able to dance right now. I can see it in your face when I tell you to mark steps or walk through. It's what's best for you right now. Your cast only came off, what a week ago? You must give your body time to heal." She scolded. She was short stout woman of 45 with frizzy black hair. Most of the girls called her the general because she drilled them relentlessly on even the most simple step, signaling them out.

"I know." Mikan nodded, "Aki is a good choice to play Clara. She has very good turn out."

"I'm glad you agree." Ms. Renee nodded half serious half mocking, as she slapped Mikan on the back, "Out with you. I have a home to return to, lessons to make, pieces to review."

"Good night." Mikan smiled waving good bye as she walked out the studio door letting the heavy wooden door close behind her. Her feet were sore. They had been sore all week, since she had been able to put back her pointe shoes.

She peeled of the half destroyed, ragged pointe shoes that looked more black then pink as she pulled down her dance bag.

She slipped on a pair of knitted leg warmers, Wendy had given her last Christmas. Wendy, that was a girl she hadn't seen in a while. She shook her head, knowing she would be way to busy until at least the spring to even think of inviting her to Japan.

Her feet were raw and angry as usual, as she pulled out the neosporn and med tape, ignoring the blood on ouchies.

She was going to have wash them again, as she glanced her bloody feet.

Somehow it reminded her of Christmas.

"I have to get Christmas decorations." She muttered to herself as she pulled out her ringing cell phone, "Hey Kagame. Did you remember to pick up tinsel?"

"Yep. What are you planning to do? Deck the whole school out."

Mikan had to laugh at that, "I don't want to even begin to think of what that would cost."

Kagame snorted again, as she heard the truck squeel to a stop, "Come on. I'm out front."

MIkan clicked her phone shut, as she stuffed her gear away, ignoring how sore her feet were as she walked along the carpeted corrider out the door and down the stairs. The dance studio shared the building with several other buinesses, which meant she had to walk down several flights of stairs just to get to the door since she refused to go near the elevator.

Nasty way to die, she always said as she pushed open the door standing under the neon light as she ran out to the waiting rusty truck, Kagame waved.

"How was class?" She asked turning up the heater as Mikan quickly shut the door.

"Good." She nodded, "Ugh I just realized we're going to have to put jackets on the horses every morning, and let them out into the wild cold yonder."

"I'll take care of the horses." Kagame told her, "You have school."

"Right. That leaves the weekends." Mikan moaned as she put up her feet, "Oh man so sore."

She gave the same response when she was asked by Yui why she was walking so funny.

"Sore feet." She answered rubbing the soles as she dug her fingers into her shoe trying to rub them.

/yui inner mind theatre/

Mikan stood on the desolate road that led from her Victorian house as her evil older sister watched from the door laughing as she Mikan was forced to naviagate through five inches of ice and snow as the ice opened up to pour hail upon her.

/end yui mind theatre/

"I could give you rides to school if you don't want to walk." She offered smiling. Mikan blinked staring a the blonde blinking, "Yui I'm sore from dancing. My sister gives me rides to school in her truck."

"Are you sure your parent's drop you when you were young?"

"What?" Yui asked confused as Rai smiled patting her friend on the shoulder.

"What's in the box Mikan?"

"Tinsel." She answered pulling a strand of the sliver fluff out, "I'm going to decorate the third music room in Christmas garb. You guys could help."

"No. No. We couldn't." Momo started waving her hands as the other two girls glanced at each other smiling.

"But Momo it would be before the host club came." Rai started

"Yeah Christams." Yui clapped her hands together, "I can't wait. What are you doing Mikan?"

"I'm having a party." She answered, "After the ball. You guys in?"

"No invitation?" Rai asked confused

"No." Mikan started,"Just a small Christmas party with my good friends, you guys want to come right."

"Of course." They answered in unison. They really like Mikan. She was a refreshment from all the rules of engagement, inviting them places with just a moments notice, sometimes just showing outside their house seeing if they were home, if they didn't pick up the phone.

Well, since there no invitations there was no reason they couldn't tell a few other girlfriends, and of course they asked Mikan first.

"Get off me." She was yelling as she tried to fight of the twins who were busy forcing a pair of antlers on her head.

"But you look cute." They cried as she fumbled with the bow under her chin as she glared and crossed her arms.

"So can we?" Yui asked again.

"Sure. What's a few more people?" Mikan shrugged as she sprinted down the hall her new antlers jiggling, "Just let me know okay."

"Sure." They nodded as they pulled out their phones texting away.

* * *

Tamaki was not expecting anything out of the ordinary when he walked into the club room.

They weren't going to set up today, because Haruhi needed to have her waltz lessons.

"Christmas!" Someone yelled as he was covered in a pile of white fluff.

"What's this?" He confused touching the white powder, "Fake snow?"

"Ahh! excuse me!" a blonde cried as she bowed, holding a box of fake snow, "Mikan told me to do it."

He blinked as he suddenly beamed, "I love it!"

She seemed relieved, as she yelled running away dumping snow over the floor, "He loves it! He loves it!"

"Yui!" a brunette hissed as she grabbed the blonde, "Come on Momo we need to leave."

"Coming Rai." An ivory hair girl yelled as they sprinted past Tamaki out into the hall giggling like mad.

"Mikan what was all of that?" Tamaki asked as he stared after the cloud of dust.

"Those are three of my other friends, Momo, Rai, and Yui." Mikan answered from across the room as she taped more tinsel to the ceiling from the ladder.

Fake snow littered the floor, chairs and tables, as Tinsel hung in long bands across the room and around the windows.

"Where do you want me to put misletoe for you and Haruhi?" Mikan asked with a laugh as she climbed down the ladder.

Tamaki turned beat red, "I'm her daddy! Those are sick thoughts, bad puppy." He yelled smacking her over the head as she giggled running away and throwing the doors open as the rest of club appeared.

"Welcome!" She smiled as they stared past her at the now christmatized host club.

"Good going." The twins patted her head,"We hate to be the ones who clean it up."

She ramned her fake reindeer horns plafyfull into their sides as she skipped away, "I brought a stero to. Are you ready for dance lessons?"

"Not really." Haruhi admitted as she walkd in sheeplisly as Kyoya slid by her.

"I like it Mikan." He told her simply, "Perhaps you were a good investment."

"Thank you." She bowed, "Let me know when I should sell myself on the market. Are we not having anyone today?"

"A limited number." He answered, "So yes you will need to prepare tea."

"Pft." she answered floucing off to find a tea pot bobbing her head to an invisble beat.

"Ah, Kasug-azaki." Kyoya greeted as the brunette walked in smiling, "Haruhi is waiting for you."

She stepped quickly to Haruhi, who greeted her with a smile.

"How are you Haruhi?" She asked

"Fine. A little nervous, I've never danced before." He admitted rubbing the back of his head as slow waltz started somewhere in the room, the music echoing off the walls.

"Shall we?" She smiled, as he slipped a hand aroung her waist, grabbing her left hand with his and starting slowly. Haruhi was so nervous he could feel his throat run dry.

Mikan seemed to be loving it, dancing by herself around and around the room.

"Come on, don't you guys want to dance." She asked as she twirled by the twins, closing her eyes as she ran smack into Mori laughing, "Sorry Mori."

"Tamaki seems depressed next to her.' Hikaru whispered to his brother as they looked on at Milord who was looking distantly out the window sighing.

"He's blue. I heard he wanted to be the practice partner, but it would never work because they are two different in height."

"Nonsense." Mikan yelled as she grabbed an unsuspecting Mori spinning around in a sloppy rendidtion of the same steps, "If I can do it with Mori, he can do it with Haruhi."

"I wanna try." Honey yelled, "Come on Takashi."

Mikan laughed as she watched the giant and midget turn around in circles. They were worse then when she tried it.

"Mikan do you know how to waltz?" Kyoya asked as came up behind her, "I just wanted to ask-"

"No." She rolled her eyes, 'How hard can it be?"

"You must master it as well." He said simply walking away. Mikan huffed, as Karou came over spinning her as she tried to maintain the proper posistion.

"One two three. One two three." He called out the beats as she tried to keep up.

"Slow down." She complained as he laughed, "Come on clumsly puppy."

There was a short scream as Mikan stopped, glancing over as Hikaru cut in, "Come on don't quit now."

"I'm not." She snapped, "I think that girl got hurt by the tea."

"Maybe we should take it off the menu." Karou commented, "Did you hear that Milord? Another princess was burned by the tea?"

"I knew it!" Tamaki yelled, "We shall not serve the hot brevage any more."

"Yeah, we'll give out juice and crackers." MIkan retorted as Hikaru spun her out and she had to resit breaking out into a fete. To bad she hadn't worn short under her skirt today.

"Whee!" Honey yelled as he spun to fast knocking into Mikan who fell to the floor, with him ontop as Mori accidently tripped stepping on Honey's arm.

"Wah! My arm!' Honey sobbed as Mori seemed to go rigid above him, grabbing the midget and running off through the doors.

"Ow my ribs." Mikan complained as she lifted herself off the floor, "Were did they go?"

"Probaly do the nurse," The twins shrugged as they glanced down at her, "Way to fail puppy."

"I didn't fail." She snapped, "You guys suck at teaching."

"Ouch." They cried together,"You wound us."

"Yeah then why aren't you dead bleeding on the floor?" She snapped as she glanced over to the window, "Tamaki please stop being so depressed. It's hard to be jolly if the king is being emo."

He slowly unfurled instead shuffling about the room, sighing loudly to himself.

"Kyoya make it stop." Mikan complained as she covered her ears,"He's worse then my brothers."

"Don't insult milord." The twins snapped swacking her over the head as she stuck her tounge out

"No she's right. But it's so hard to be happy when outside is cold and barren-" He sighed flipping his blonde hair back.

"Blah. Blah." Mikan answered grabbing his hands, "If you want to dance you might as well as teach me. Dumb and Dumber over there are only going to manage to maul me."

"You're the one with the antlers." THe twins answered, "Shall we spread a new rumor that the puppy has changed her favorite to Tamaki?"

"Shall I spread a rumor that the twins like to kick the puppy for fun?" Mikan answered as she tried to move her concentration to the steps and not adding fuel to the fire.

"No. Your doing it wrong." Tamaki told her, finally snapping out his personal haze, "You let the man lead. You want to match my steps. Try again. One two three. No watching your feet."

"You can pass for a drill seargent." Mikan told him, as she stared right into his eyes. He had very intense blue eyes like they were going to bore a hole into her soul, "One two three. Turn."

She again restrainted from adding a ballet move or two in there, as they ran through the simple steps again and again.

"I think I got this." Mikan smiled as they glided across the room, "One two three. One two three. Yeah this isn't bad at all."

"Your doing well for a commoner." He smiled as she glared stepping on his foot.

"Whoops! My bad." She smiled, letting go of his hands just as the club doors slammned open.

"Tama-chan! We have a lead on Kasuga-azaki. She's already been promised to a boy." Honey cired.

"What?" Tamaki yelled, "Alright everyone assemble. We need to discuss and Kasuga-azaki-hime's discord."

'Wait!" Haruhi started, "What about my dance lesson?"

"Don't worry. I'll teach you." Mikan patted her on the back, as the rest of the club ignored Haruhi's pela, "Tamaki taught me."

They stood to the side as the other's discussed the engament, though Mikan was puzzled, "They decided when they were kids? Is that even legal?"

THe boys ignored her carrying on as Kyoya explained, "He's in the so called "C" Class. Basically he's boring."

"Ouch." Mikan waved her hand as if waving of steam, "Are you guys always such ass holes to your fellow class mates?"

Haruhi shook her head amazed that they could judge someone that quickly.

"SO that 's the reason for her 'illness'. She want's someone exciting?" Mikan asked,"And how the hell can you say he's stupid? I think I'd kill my self if I was engaged to one of you."

"Aww. Puppy." The twins smiled, "Sticking up for the boring, the weak, and depressed."

She hissed again chasing them away, as Tamaki had grown quiet moving to stand next to Haruhi.

"Kyoya.." He started, "You knew about the engagment the whole time?"

"No surprise." Mikan yelled as she continued her mock fighting, "You stalk everybody don't ya?"

"It's my job to invesitage costumers." Kyoya replied coolly.

"I live near her." Honey spoke up as he hugged his pink bunny.

The twins ran away, swatting at Mikan one last time before they ran over to Haruhi.

"How's that dancing coming?" Hikaru asked swinging an arm around her.

"Well I didn't really get to practice today." She started

"I'm sure it's fine." Karou waved his hand.

"By the way-" Hikaru smiled as he hugged her closer as Karou touched her face, making her turn to star at him, "Here's a question for you. If you search the net for 'suzushima' what will you get?"

"Gah! Stop molesting Haruhi!" Mikan yelled chasing the twins away, who glared instead hugging Mikan.

"Get off my boobs." She screamed as they laughed lifting her into the air pressing her arms to her side, "There's no other way to hug you. Shall we play see how far Mikan can stretch?"

"Not in this skirt." She answered as she wiggled free running away and out the door, "See you all tomorrow."

"Way to chase the puppy away." Haruhi sighed as she stacked the teacups and teapot.

"Aww poor poor poor you." They sang as they walked out the door, throwing some of the fake snow in the air.

"Haruhi did you put up all the Christmas decorations?' Honey asked as he slid across the floor, spreading his arms and legs.

"Honey what are you doing?" She asked intrigued.

'Making a snow angel." He answered before Mori lifted him up onto his shoulders.

Haruhi watched them go. Mori never said anything at least not to her, but he did smile today. It was weird, he'd seem almost relaxed and open around Mikan. He usually just stood off to the side or with Honey, but he didn't seem to mind when Mikan was around. Maybe he didn't care, it was hard to guess, since he always had such a distant gaze.

"Maybe I'm just over analyzing." She murmured to herself finishing taking the dishes to the kitchen.

* * *

"Tamaki what do you suggest we do?" Kyoya asked as they stood outside in the cold waiting for their respective rides.

"I know, it's a problem."Tamaki sighed, "But what can we do? We cannot change the fact that she is marrying such a boring guy. We must somehow make them happy.'

"I think we should continue to let her attend the club. Perhaps we will be able to make him jealous." Kyoya started.

"Jealously?" Tamaki smiled, "Kyoya that brilliant! What better way to drive a princess crazy if she sees him with another woman."

"Tamaki. That actually is a not a bad idea." Kyoya blinked as he suddenly smiled, "I'll have to see if Mikan has the clothes-" he drifted off muttering to himself, writing down in his pad as he climbed into car.

He had to have the invitations to all the costumers, arrange for food, drink, music. And then of course decorations, and all the little bits and pieces that went into hosting such a ball. Yes it would all work out, like most things did for him.

Perhaps even better was that Kagame had been happy to notify him that her mother would be hosting a party on the same night. A way for her to meet each of Mikan and Ayumi's friends and their parents, since she seemed to be on the go often.

"Better not let it go to late." He muttered again to himself. He would suggest perhaps a bigger venue, since the latest text message that had been going round was the after party was going to be held where ever Mikan's mother decided on.

"Kagame?' he asked as he picked up his ringing phone.

"Hi Kyoya." She yelled into the phone. It sounded like she outside, moving fast.

"Kagame where are you?" He asked

"Oh testing out the sled before I give it to my mom for Christmas." She answered, "Listen I just got this text, that said 30 girls, and their parents are coming. Now I can move this thing from our small house to my grandparents, but I don't think my cooking is going to cover it. I need you to help me get organized, because I'm going to drown."

"I'm guessing you were expecting a smaller venue?' He asked trying hard not to laugh.

"Slightly." She answered as he heard the faint jingle of bells in the back round, "So how many people should I tell my mom to plan for?"

"Well put a stop to the girls pouring, first off." He started, "And I would design an invitation and send it out as soon as possible."

"Yeah I'm going to let you take care of it.' She muttered, "I'm not that good with long lists. I'll take of the food and the place."

"Kagame-" Kyoya stared, but she clicked her phone shut, tucking it into her pocket. Mikan had said something about getting a ride home with Ayumi in the limo and maybe going shopping for a dress.

That had left her free to test out the sled now they had snow in the fields. She had been dying to work on Tick and Tock as far as working together. They were brothers so it wouldn't be to hard to get them together, which made them perfect for pulling. Them and Amobea, the draft horse.

She clacked the reigns again as they moved into a brisk trot the bells jggiling like crazy as she steered them back up to the main barning as her phone rang once more.

"Yes?"She asked trying to refrain from laughing, "What am I looking at?"

"Your guest list." Kyoya exasperated voice came over the phone,"I complied every girl who is a loyal costumer to the club, that limited to about 130 plus family. Not to mention our own families who will of course, most likely be in attendance."

"How nice." Kagame smiled, "And here I was worried. I have a call to make, good bye for now."

"I'll let you take over." He answered

Kagame smiled as she typed in a phone number, "Grandma? It's Kagame! I know I haven't seen you in five years. I'm 21 now. Yes, we're in Japan. I know Japan. Listen mom hosting a party and the problem is our guest list is 130 and then some. I was wondering if we could use your country home over here."

"Yes. We're having a Christmas party. Didn't you hear? You didn't know we were in Japan. Well of course we just move here a month ago. Yes, mom's book took off. Yes. Mikan and Ayumi are attending one of the private schools here, and the twins, yes the twins are in middle school."

"Yes. Yes. No we would love to see you. Maybe you come riding with us. Yes we horses. Eleven actually. Two arabins yes. Oh you'll be out tonight. Well that's great. Will you be stopping by for dinner? Right. Lots of preparing to do. Yes the party is on the 24th of December. Oh you'll take care of everything? That's wonderful. I can't wait to see you."Kagame smiled as she clicked the phone shut as she jumped of the sled leading Tick and tock into the barn parking the sled in a dark back corner as she un hitched them as they snorted.

"Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock." She sang, "Everythings falling into place."

The two horses knicker in agreement, or it may have been they wanted to have hay and a jacket.

* * *

A/N: Yep like I said speedy updates. A little clear up on the romance thing, there will be romance, just not blatant fall in love, I think the manga does a good job hinting at it with all the guys on Haruhi, so I'll try and keep you guessing.

Mikan's mother hasn't spoken till her mother, since her husband died and even before that their relationship was shaky, so that's why Kagame has to fill in everything for her, her Grandma didn't even know they had moved to Japan. Sad isn't it? My characters have so much drama.

Thanks for the support, I'm glad everyone is faving/ alerting, but reviews are nice to! Come on lets break 40!


	17. Shopping with The Rich

llalalala, alright lots of favs, alerts, *Checks reviews you guys are slacking! Come on please, think of it as a treat for the puppy! Don't deny the puppy! Lol thank you all for your support of the story, WOOT! we broke 40 reviews, come on lets break 50, I know you can!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my OC"S

* * *

Chapter Seventeen Shopping with the Rich

Mikan thought she may have made a mistake when she agreed to go shopping with Yui, Rai and Momo. She did promise that she would pick up something to wear for the two parties, though she couldn't drag Haruhi if she tried.

Kyoya promised that he would take care of Haruhi's outfit and not to worry.

"Yui what are you doing?" Mikan asked as she stepped out the limo. The blonde had taken off her boots slipping on a pair of heels.

"What? These are my shopping shoes." She answered as she pulled on her purse and the doorman opened the door greeting each of them by last name.

Mikan blinked. That was different. She glanced around feeling a little out of place and over whelmed in her jeans, while the girls wore heels, and cute little outfits.

Yet her mom always ,said act like you own the place and they'll belive it. So she smiled as she flipped her hair walking with a straight back trying hard not to waddle with her feet.

She had been lucky getting a day of from dance, since they were running through show rehersals. There was nothing she could help out with, without being in the way. Half the company would probably be breathing easy knowing she wouldn't be called on to critique.

"Mikan over here." Rai called as they headed up the stairs, to a posh boutique. Where the ball gowns glittered on the show room floor.

Mikan let the girls direct her where to go as they admired the dresses, but moving towards a back room where a smiling employee greeted the,.

"Hello. Welcome. And what are we shopping for today?"

"Winter ball gowns." They answered together.

"But something fuctional." Mikan interjected, "I don't want a cup cake dress. Some thing that perferbly doesn't drag the floor, because it's going to be crowded and there will be stairs."

"Ah." The sales lady smiled, seemingly happy with being given details, "Any colors I should bring back? You look about a size eight."

"No white. And yes that's right." Mikan answered as the other three took a back seat, waiting until she wandered away to look at their friend.

"Wow Mikan.' Yui whispered, "We usually just try on anything they bring."

"Well, you have to give them a little boundries." She shrugged sitting down, "Aren't you guys going to try on anything?"

"Pft." They shrugged taking a seat in the private back room on the bench.

"I already have a dress.' Yui admitted, "My Aunt imported it from Russia."

"Oh. The peach one?' Rai asked excitedly, "I'm getting one from my mother. It's part of my Christmas present."

"So I'm the only one?" Mikan huffed exasperated as the three girls giggled, "I think you guys have been planning this."

'Maybe." they answered looking at each other, "The host club is known for shopping here."

"Is that it?" She asked, "You guys can sit with us at lunch."

"No. We want to observe them." Yui whispered, "It's fun that way." Mikan blinked, these three never failed to fansciante and confuse her. They seemed to make it a game, to keep their distance from the host club, but then follow giggling the whole time.

"Will these do?" The sales lady smiled as she walked in with two racks full of brightly colored gowns.

"Yes. Thank you." Mikan smiled as she slowly began to go through each of the dresses. Blue. Yellow. Green. Low cut. High Cut. Spaggettie string. Tube top.

"This is the last one I'm afraid." The sales lady sighed as she held up the tube top aqua blue dress with a slight peaking silver ruffle around the edge as she stood neck to the two racks of dresses that had either swam to much, wrong color, wrong fit, or anything else her friends could come up with.

Mikan slipped it on and imeaditly thought she was in a ballet costume, as the itchy ruffle brushed against her legs. She would just have to wear a pair of leggings she smiled as she twirled in front of the mirror.

"I love it." Mikan smiled not bothering to ask for the price, knowing she would flinch. It wasn't like she wouldn't be able to afford, and she had hardly spent any money since her mom had assigned an allowance. She would just count it as part of her winter collection.

It used to be that they would shop at the mall, maybe come home with a few ten dollar shirts if they were lucky. The cheapest things here translated to about 98 dollars by american dollars, and that was a simple barrette. She felt her heart stop just walking through the one dress shop at gowns that were selling easily for 10,000 and up.

Pocket change, she reminded herself as her own dress rang up about 890 dollars or 83, 866. 72 in yen.

She had never spent that much on anything in her closet, well at least until now.

She fumbled with shopping bag, thanking the sales woman again before they headed to the next store at a brisk pace. The girls chatting about everything, like what they want for Christmas.

"What about you Mikan?" Rai asked

"Me?' Mikan asked pointing to herself, "A pony."

"Really? I just asked for clothes." Rai shrugged

"Oh I asked for new Jimmy choo's." Yui yelled clapping her hands together.

"Books." Momo sighed, "Lots of books."

"Wow. Really?" Mikan asked surpised, "You didn't pass for the reading type."

"Oh well." Momo blushed, "Hey look their having a sale!"

Mikan blinked as the three rushed forward to a rack of shirts, that again more expensive then anything thought possible, and each different.

She hung out in the back glancing around. She felt a tap on her shoulder as a sales lady asked very politely, "Can I help you?"

Mikan smiled, "No. I haven't found anything that's really caught my fancy."

"I meant help you find the exit." The sales lady continued to smile, "You seem lost."

"I do." Mikan laughed as she smiled wider and then said very serious, "Then I'm afraid your mistaken."

"Your dress if not store apporaite. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The woman glared as she maintained her smile.

The hell I will woman, Mikan thought to herself as she raised an eyebrow though her cofidence was beginning to flatter. She glanced for Yui or Rai or Momo, but they were no where to be seen. She was on her own.

"So please reiterate." Mikan started, "Your saying that my designer jeans are not approiate for your store, which specializes in jeans like mine?"

"I don't believe anything your wearing could pass for designer." She huffed, "Now please leave."

"No." Mikan replied smiling wider if possible as she moved past the woman, "I will not leave. Now excuse me I have to find my friends."

"I am the manager of this establishment and I rather not have your kind in my store. We maintain a certain image." The woman stopped her, "Now please leave."

Mikan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Very well. Momo! Rai! Yui!"

The three popped up from the back, carrying their varied selections of clothing that they seemed like they were ready to try on.

"Listen I'm apparently not dressed to shop in this store. I'll meet you three later, by the way I wouldn't buy the jeans. They give off the wrong image." Mikan smiled as the manager stared on the side.

The girls shot a glance to her and back to Mikan, confused as Yui said, "Okay. We'll see you around."

"I'll have my phone." Mikan smiled as she walked out of the store feeling accomplished, and hoping to god in heaven she never treated any one, like the 'manager'.

"Mikan?"

She had been lost in her own world as she stopped dead flipping to see Tamaki waving at her.

"Hi puppy." He smiled hugging her, "What are you doing here?"

"Dress shopping. 'She answered holding up the bag, "You?"

"Suit." He answered holding up his assorment of bags, "Are you here alone?"

"Nah. My friends are up there in the store." She answered

"Then why are you out here?" He asked confused.

"I, ah, didn't see anything I like.' She lied, "Listen you mind showing some good places to pick up clothes. I'm new to this."

"Of course." He smiled as she trialed behind him, "Aren't you a little poor to be shopping here?'

"Nope." She answered with a shrug. Tamaki never ceased to amaze her. One minute he was all love and hugs and the next he was insulting her.

"Tamaki what would you do if a sales employee asked you to leave a store based on how you were dressed?" Mikan asked after a minute of silence passed.

"Well, not that it would ever happen to me, but I would politely ask to speak to the manager and ask if it was nessecary that my family contact them." He answered, "That usually never happens. The second step.'

"Ah." Mikan nodded, "Good to know."

She drifted through a few stores, but there wasn't anything she wanted. No that was a lie. She wanted to sit down.

"Do you guys have places to sit?" She asked as she rubbed her feet, "Like a bench?"

"Sure." He answered, "Though they're probably nothing what commoner benches are like."

She stared at the metal bench, sinking down as she yawned taking off her shoes to get to her feet.

"What's wrong with your feet?" he asked as she rubbed her socked feet.

"They just hurt." She answered, "We've been walking for the last three hours."

"Ah." Tamaki nodded ,"So I heard you're having a party?"

"Just a small social gathering." She shrugged. He blinked, from what Kyoya told him he didn't think 140 people counted as a small number, but then again he was used to 300 people for a single birthday.

He blinked again, "Mikan you're not poor are you?'

"Wow." She gasped, "How long did it take you to figure it out?"

"Sorry for insulting you." He said seriously as he bowed. She thwacked him over the head, "Tamak-sempi. Please never apologize for who you are. And thank you."

"What are your parents involved in?" he asked after another minute.

"Parent. Dad's dead." Mikan told him continuing before he could continue to apologize for his ignorance, "Mom's a famous novelist. You find me a book store I probably can show you a copy."

"Yes. I will buy a copy myself. In order to support your mother's talent. To show that I support her daughter. We take care of our puppy."

Mikan blinked, as her phone rang, "Forget it. I've got to go meet my friends. Later Tamaki."

"But-but." He started as she walked away, calling over her shoulder, "Call Kyoya if your lonely."

The three were laughing again as Momo held up a copy of the book, "Mikan what were you doing with Tamaki?"

"Making mad love to him." Mikan answered in a dead tone, as they laughed harder, "What do you got there?"

"Your mother's novel. She writes very well." Momo smiled as she opened up the book already partly through the first chapter, "Does she only write fantasy?'

"It is her forte." Mikan admitted, "You guys buy much?"

Yui blushed as she tired to hide her shopping bags, "Yum-yum came out with a few new shoes, and I saw a few shirts I just would die to have."

"Ah." Mikan nodded as she suddenly felt silly with her one bag, "Hey is their like a dance store?'

"Oh yeah. It's called Bleeding Toes. Funny name for a store." Momo told her as she took lead.

Mikan had to laugh, suddenly wanting very badly to hurry up and arrive. Whoever owned it, must have had a wicked sense of humor about dancers.

The store itself was small compared to everything else in the mall. The usual assortment of pointe shoes and leotrads. Only they had an entire half floor dedicated to testing out the shoes themselves, with shelves of various brands and sizes.

Mikan saw ballet skirts, in colors she had never imaginged. Finally a store she could relate to, where she felt at home. She could easily spend a small fortune in here, on supplies alone.

She remembered her ratty pointe shoes, the one 's stained black that were starting to give foot cramps from being worn down.

"Hey if you guys don't want to wait around." Mikan started, but they seemed happily occupied admiring jeweled encrusted pins and bun holders.

She walked over to the nearest sales lady, asking to try on a pair of pointe shoes.

"Chacott I know are native." Mikan commented, "I'm a size nine and half. I usually wear Gaynor Miden, but lately they've been wearing down faster then what's normal."

"Then it's probably best to try a Chacott.' The lady agreeded as she pulled boxes from the shelves, as Mikan rolled up her jeans wishing she had worn stockings, as she pulled on the footies. They would give almost the same feel as a pair of stockings, but nothing could beat the feel of a new pair of stockings in a shoe.

She pulled on the ouchies as she tested out the shoes, her ribbons perfectly placed as she went through basic steps.

"Ah. You're an advanced dancer. How long have you've been studying?" The woman asked as she watched Mikan turn three times in a perfect piroutte, prancing about in easy jumps, extending her left leg to the back in aerobasque as she rose up.

"Since I could walk." Mikan answered, "My mom decided it would be a good idea to give me some grace, since I always tripped over my own feet."

"I see. You seem to favor your right ankle."

"I am recovering from spraning my left." She explained

"Ah. Then it's natural. Is your right or left stronger?" She asked bending down to fiddle with her shoes, feeling the shank.

"My left usually." Mikan answered staring as she glanced around the store. The three had moved back to where the tap and jazz shoes were admiring the variety of hip hop warm up clothes and leg warmers.

"Yes. These seem a good fit." The woman stood as she walked away, "Remember to not to over extend. Go ahead and continue to test them. It's a good idea to make sure."

Mikan smiled as she danced to an invisible beat, trying to loosen up the back support, to make it more comfortable.

"Is this your first pair?"

She glanced at the girl who asked. She was wearing a string of pairs, and a polo looking on like a teacher getting ready to correct her first student.

"No." Mikan answered returning to stretching the shoe. Something about this girl made her uneasy, like the sales lady, she seemed to judge by first glance.

"Oh. I'm here to get a pair myself. I just landed the lead in my school's production of the Nutcracker." She answered beaming.

"Clara?" Mikan asked,"Which school."

"Oh I'm sure you've never heard of it. It's called Ouran. 'She answered.

Mikan smirked to herself, but decided she play stupid, "Oh no. I haven't. You must be very good."

"Well. I have been dancing for the last five years.' She smiled, "My mother's the director."

Mikan nodded, as she looked down at her feet. The girl wore open toed flats, though her feet looked, well pretty, and taken care of. None of the tell tale signs of wearing or scabbing. Not even a blister.

"What brand do you wear?' Mikan asked, "And are you buying for the show? Because if these are class shoes then you might want to go for a soft shank."

"I know that." The girl snapped crossing her arms, huffing, "Do you mind finishing up? So I can get on with my fitting."

"There's plenty of room." Mikan smiled, "But I am done breaking in these shoes."

She couldn't resist doing one last pirouette as she extended to the front before she plopped down onto the floor to un do her ribbons.

"I can do that." The girl commented, as Mikan only nodded.

"I'm sure you can. It's a mandatory move for some companies redition of the Nutcracker." She answered as she carefully placed the shoes back into their box and standing up from the floor after she slipped on her bright pink chucks walking away.

The girl stood by the floor tapping her foot, waiting for sales assitant to help. Mikan glanced around for the woman who had helped her, but she was no where to be seen.

She shrugged finding her friends once again at the glass counter admiring the jeweled pins.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Rai asked

"Oh you got shoes! Are they for your dress?' Yui asked

Mikan laughed, "Uh no. And yes I did. New pair of pointe shoes."

"Ah." They nodded, though Mikan was sure they had no idea what she was talking about.

"Now I need some real shoes." She muttered as she swung her shopping bags, "Something I can run around in, I'm going to be serving at this party."

"Shoes!' Yui clapped excitedly as she led them off through the stores.

Mikan glanced over her shoulder once or twice, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched.

* * *

"She already picked her dress, but not her shoes.' Tamaki explained as the twins now followed him through the mall.

They had caught him trying to fight an old woman for the last copy of a fantasy novel that seemed suited for a younger generation.

"We didn't know her mom was a writer." They murmured flipping through the novel. They had found a whole pile in the fantasy section, yet to be touched.

"I didn't either. Did you know her fathers dead?" Tamaki asked, "I feel horrible not knowing anything about our puppy."

"Yes it does make you horrible." The twins agreed as Tamaki turned to ash glaring at them, "What are we doing here again?"

"We have to follow our puppy. Make sure she isn't getting into trouble." Tamaki explained.

"Spying?' The twins smiled, "We like it."

They watched her go into some store called bleeding toes, coming out with a small bag.

"She shops at weird places." Tamaki commented as they waited until they got far enough ahead for them to tail behind.

"What else did find out about the puppy?' The twins asked intrigued as they waitied for her as she entered a shoe store.

"She's not a commoner." Tamaki answered. The twins mocked gasped, as they laughed, "We had to begun to assume that. Esspecailly with talk of the party she's hosting. No mere commoner would be able to host such a venue."

"True." Tamaki agreed, "Nor would they be shopping in such an exclusive host of boutiques and specialty stores."

"Very true." The twins nodded, "Who taught her to dress. She looks like a hobo."

"She's not used to wearning the finer things." Tamaki explained, "Don't mention it to her."

"We won't." the twins answered rolling her eyes, "She does have a good taste in shoes."

"Yeah the silver will go nice with the dress." Tamaki agreed as he peered from his spot on the floor behind the giant potted tree.

"Tama-chan?"

Tamaki jumped as he turned to see Honey and Mori.

"What are you doing?" Honey asked

"Uh." Tamaki had to think of an excuse and fast. He turned to the twins who shrugged scooting away leaving him on his own.

"Uh. I'm looking for a dime I dropped." he answered, "What are you doing here Honey?"

"Me and Takashi are here for our suit fittings." He smiled, "For the Christmas parties!"

"Ah. Um. Have to go." Tamaki smiled as he grabbed his own bag running off into the crowd.

"Bye Tama-chan." Honey smiled as he stared after the fast moving host club king, as the puppy walked out of the store as Honey waved to her.

"You stalkers!" She hissed, "How long have you been following me? Where's Tamaki? Are the twins here as well?'

"What?" Honey asked confused as Mikan sighed, dragging her three friends who waved before running down the strip to the left disappearing into the crowd.

"Takashi?" Honey glanced at his tall friend, who shrugged, "She dropped her shoes."

He picked up the bag as he read of the label, "Bleeding Toes. Ahh! What kind of horrible store is that?"

"Dance." Mori told him pointing to the figure on the bag who seemed to be in to stuck in some uncomfortable pose.

"Oh. Dance?" Honey asked as he opened the bag pulling out a box, pulling pair of shoes, "What do you think these are?"

Mori shrugged as Honey touched them, "We probably should try and find her. She'll be missing her shoes."

He seemed to find something silly, in the shiny shoes banging them together, before he placed them back in the box and then in the bag. "There!" He smiled as he grabbed Mori's hand, "We need to find her."

"She's with friends." Mori started, "Maybe tommorow."

"K!" Honey smiled as he headed in the oppisite direction, "Lets go get some cake."

Mori smiled letting Honey lead him away.

* * *

"Why do boys feel the need to follow me?' Mikan asked, "It's like there you guys, but there following me."

"Well you're something interesting.' Rai offered, "What with your pink hair and unusual style of dressing. We're not used to it."

Mikan couldn't argue with that as she stuffed some kind of pastry down her mouth, she hadn't realized how hungry she had been until they had stopped at a restraunt , or how much her feet hurt.

"Anymore stores or can we go home?" Mikan yawned, "I'm beat."

"Yeah I don't think my arms can carry any more bags." Yui nodded as she held up her arms that each held at least six bags.

"No. I'll have the limo brought round." Momo waved her hand as she pressed signal button on her phone, "There. To the front lobby."

"You know. We'll have seen the entire host club tonight, except for-"

"Mikan?'

Mikan shut her mouth as her friends giggled madly waving to Kyoya, who returned a small smile.

"Hey. We were just leaving." She told him.

"Really? I wanted to talk to you about something. If your friends don't mind of course."

The girls shook their head no, as they said good bye waving and giggling running away, as Mikan felt her heart stop. She didn't know why, but there always something ominous when Kyoya wanted to speak to her.

"Ah, am I in trouble in any way?" She asked staring at him and feeling like she was about to be reprimanded by a parent or worse a ballet instructor for screwing up something obvivous.

He blinked, raising an eyebrow, "Have you done anything to be desvered of being repremended?"

"No." She answered ,'I haven't. Bad experience. Sorry."

"Really?" He asked intrigued, "What would that be?"

"I was just asked to leave a store by a sales lady. I was just standing there and she decided I didn't belong." Mikan shrugged, "I guess she thought I was 'riff raff'."

Kyoya had to laugh at that at least mentally, trying to imagine the cute puppy as being bad, "Interesting. No I wanted to see the dress you purchased."

"Oh. Yeah sure." She answered as she pulled out the blue dress, "Only one I liked."

"It will do." He agreed as she stuffed it away again.

"Is that it?' She asked feeling silly, standing in the middle of the ebb and flow of traffic, next to a table.

"How are your feet?"

"Fine. They hurt. But that's normal." She answered with a shrug, "What are you doing here?"

"Getting Haruhi's suit." He answered, "Do you think you can manage to produce a dress? '

"Dress?" Mikan repeated, "What kind of dress?"

"Simple. Elegant. Something Haruhi can wear that won't require her to suddenly gain a chest." He answered

"Sure." Mikan shrugged , "And the reason you couldn't call me?'

"Did you drop anything?" He asked as she suddenly rooted through her bag, feeling her heart stop. She had lost her 68 dollar pointe shoes.

"You lost your pointe shoes?" He asked knowingly

"Yeah. I must have left them as I came out of the shoe store." She answered avoiding his gaze.

"Your very lucky." He told her as he pointed behind as Honey came running up with her shoes, "They wanted to wait until tommorow, but I figured you'd have a heart attack other wise."

"Honey you found my shoes?' She asked smiling, "Aww thank you."

"Your welcome Mika-chan." He smiled as he gave her the bag, "Kyoya called and said he had found you and we might as well come and give them to you."

'Thank you." Mikan smiled again, feeling a rush of relief , "So much."

"See you tommorow." Kyoya smiled as he walked away, disappearing with his own bag.

"Do you need a ride home Mika-chan?" Honey asked, as Mikan seemed suddenly flustered by a message on her phone.

"Yeah. Seems the girls had to leave, something about blocking traffic." Mikan answered with a sigh,"You wouldn't mind would you."

"Nope. Right Takashi?" Honey asked as Mori was silent as usual following behind Honey as Mikan walked to the right of him.

"Did you guys get all you needed?" She asked swinging her bag, carefully placing everything in her the one bag with her dress as not to lose anything.

"Yep. We had cake, and our suits." Honey went on and on as Mikan nodded her head finding it hard to keep up with the little guy.

"Is this your regular house Mika chan?" he asked as he glanced out the window of the limo.

She glanced up at the Victorian home that peered from the hills behind the trees, nodding , "Yep. Thanks for the ride guys." She hadn't even realized they had arrived at her house until Honey had said something. She felt herself nodding off in the car.

"Bye Mika-chan." Honey waved as well as Mori this time, before the limo pulled away.

She walked up and into the house, as Kagame waved hello, "How was the mall?"

"Interesting." Mikan answered rubbing the back of her neck, "Hey Kagame you wouldn't happen to have a dress would you?'

Kagame seemed to choke on what ever she was eating "A dress? I think I have like one from my middle school days."

"Oh come on. One?" Mikan asked, "Where is it?"

"Up stairs. Probaly in some box, in my closet." Kagame answered as Mikan disappeared up the stairs, "Your not planning on wearing it are you?"

"No." Mikan answered as she opened the door rooting through the mess and various oddities, "Hey I was looking for that."

She pulled out the simple long pink dress, with the odd flower arrangement under the right strap. "Gah! Kagame how could you even wear this monstrosity?"

"What? I was going through a phaze." She yelled up the stairs as Mikan brought the dress down stairs.

"Hey which door is the laundry room?" Mikan asked as she walked down the hall, passing by several doors, "Is it the blue door?"

"No I think that's the ball room." Kagame warned as Mikan found herself covered in mountain of balls a moment later.

"Yep." Kagame nodded, "That's the ball room. We should start labeling."

"That is true." Mikan answered as she tried the purple door, "Oh yeah this is it." She walked in to the standard washer and dryer dumping in the dress. She didn't even want to know what was on the dress, after being in Kagame's closet for years on end. She picked up the ringing phone, forgetting that they even had a phone in the laundry room.

"Hello? Grandma? What? What party?" Mikan asked as Kagame's voice suddenly came over, "Mikan hang up!"

Mikan blinked putting the phone back as she came out, "Hey Kagame-" but Kagame was on the portable phone in deep converstation.

"Right." Mikan nodded walking upstairs half tempted to pick up the phone herself. She needed somebody crafty, somebody like Ayumi.

'Ayumi!" Mikan yelled as she ran into her sisters room, climbing up the stairs to the loft where Ayumi seemed to pour over several books at once taking notes.

"What?' She asked glancing at Mikan who seemed out of breath as she laid on the bed.

"Kagame being all secretive." Mikan smiled, "I want you to listen in."

"Home phone?" Ayumi asked as she picked up the phone slowly pressing it to her ear.

"What's she saying?" Mikan whispered

"She wants an extra large cheese pizza." Ayumi answered hanging the phone back up, "Don't you have homework?"

"Yeah." Mikan rolled her eyes, getting off the bed , "See you later."

Ayumi waved from the top loft, watching and waiting until she disappeared to pick back up the phone.

"Yes. No I haven't told anyone else."

That was Kagame alright.

"Oh good. I haven't seen you all in so long. Especially Natsumi. It will be nice a good start over since the accident."

"Grandma you haven't talked to mom since her wedding. You came once to see me five years ago. You don't even know what the others look like except for pictures."

"It's complicated Kagame."

"Bull shit."

Ayumi gasped at her sister using such laungague. She had only heard a few things about Grandma, this was amazing.

"Your so like your mother. I realize I haven't been the best grandmother."

"Understament of the year. The girls would love you guys. Not to mention the boys, who probably would get along fine with grandpa."

"But your mother I don't think would want to see me again.'

"Mom forgave you a long time ago. She figured you loved her anyways. Though you can be a bigger pain in her ass that I thought possible."

"Kagame! I will not be talked to in such a way."

"You will, because you two need to grow up and act your age. You're a mother and a grandmother. We want you in our lives. At least Grand pa came to the wedding."

"Stop. I don't want to go there."

"Trust me. I'm playing nice. Now you know how she felt, when you did what you did." Kagame answered suddenly laughing, "Come on Gran. It's Christmas. Like you said we're going to bury it in the past. Mom dying to see you."

"Alright. I know. I supposed I was coming the moment you first called. I of course have already prepared the house. We'll be there in a week to see. Though I'm afraid I won't be able to visit until Christmas ."

"We'll plan to stay with you." Kagame answered not trying to hide her smile over the phone. Ayumi carefully placed her own phone back in the cradle, giggling to herself.

Christmas at Grandmas. She couldn't wait. Of course she couldn't let Kagame know that she knew anything, where was the fun in that?

* * *

oh my! Mikan's learning about stereo types, old skeletons are being dug up, what going to happen on Christmas? keep reading to find out!

a/n: Okay the thing with currency, I used a converter when I wrote the chapter,sorry if that isn't right, but Mikan would be doing the math because she lived in america for so long, and she's always shocked at the numbers until she figures out how much it really costs. Sorry if it isn't right, I'm not from japan, so I'm just doing research. Thanks!


	18. Operation Love

hehe break was so good, happy to be back, and here's another chapter, the updates might slow down depending on how much I can get written and if I still have a surplus, I think I'm catching up on myself.

Disclaimer: Own nothing but my oc's

* * *

Chapter Eighteen Operation Love

Kyoya had been planning this for awhile. Weeks of research and planning, and yet here he was rushing.

He was ready to kill Kagame with her added duty of organizing her rsvp list for her mother's Christmas party. He was almost finished with the host clubs, what with food, drink, and entertainment covered. Of course he had added a cover charge in order for them to afford it, and of course the gambling table to bring in some profit. It was all very worth it from a girls point of view what with the competition to dance with a host club member.

"The tree needs to have the timed lights, the class room," He muttered to himself at the lunch table reaching for another piece of the biscut.  
"Kyoya watcha doing?" Mikan asked as she sat next to him watching the other members talk amoungst themselves. It was a quiet day, with everybody more focued on eating then talking.

"Trying to make everything fall into place. Mikan if you wanted to express the deepest feelings of your heart you would do it with a letter correct?"  
She blinked, "Sure. Are you thinking of becoming a woman to express your love to your fellow class mates?"

He ignored her comment, as he pulled out a piece of paper.

"Go get the twins." He orderd

"I'm a fricken messenger now." Mikan huffed plopping over to the twins who as usual harressing Haruhi.

"Kyoya want's you two." She ordered.

"Fine." They sighed getting up from the table, "Stay."

Mikan blinked sitting next to Haruhi stealing whatever she happened to be eating.

"No nutella today?" Haruhi asked as Mikan sat beside her.

"Nope." Mikan shrugged popping a sushi roll into her mouth, "Emm. This is good. Don't tell me what it is. I'm sure I'll get grossed out."

"Okay." Haruhi shrugged as they lasped into silence. Mikan had grown used to Haruhi's lack of converstation in general besides the ocassional uh huh. She was happy to babble away to her about everything and nothing.

It was like that with most of the host club. Mori was always silent, Honey talked some, Tamaki seemed to be an endless flow of babble, the twins talked to themselves or her, and Kyoya, well Kyoya was always busy with something this or that.

The twins seemed to be laughing making Kissing noises, and Mikan couldn't help but want to see what was going on.

She slinked over slowly resting her chin on top of Karou's head as he laughed and Kyoya wrote out something on paper.

"Oh dear god, what is it?" Mikan shuddered looking at the girly hand writing with the dotted I's with hearts, and lots of love in every sentence.

"This, Mikan. Is a test. Go pretend that some boy gave this to you and go have your other friends read it." Kyoya ordered, "Go on."

"What?" Mikan asked raising an eye brow, "You got to be kidding me! This is horrifying!"

"Puppy." The twins warned, "Our back up plan is to read it to the whole school after we steal it from you."

"Right. I'll go read this to my friends." Mikan said as she turned pale running quickly away from the three as she glared from a far. She tucked the letter into her brief case sitting back down across from Haruhi as Honey flounced to sit by her.

"HI MIKA-Chan!' He yelled wrapping his arms around her waist as she patted his head, "Hi Honey. Mori.'

He didn't say anything but kept eating his lunch as Mikan felt a little put off turning back to her own lunch. She knew the guy was known as the silent giant, but that didn't mean he could at least utter a single sylabelle of Hi every once and a while.

At least Haruhi would talk sometimes, about every day things.

"Mika-chan tell your sister we're coming." Honey grinned as he ate his own lunch, "Yeah?"

"Okay. I kinda figured you all we're coming." Mikan started, as Honey changed the subject to what they were doing for the holiday break.

"What do you mean nothing?" Mikan asked Haruhi outraged, "You can't do nothing."

"I need to study." She answered with a shrug as Mikan felt her eye twitch.

"I won't stand for it. I am officially adopting you." Mikan announced, "These are the only two precious weeks when I have less dance than usual, which I plan to pack with activites of the FUN nature. Sledding, skiing, ice skating, pie making, general festivites!"

"My family are going to the islands." Honey answered, as Mikan turned to stare at him.

"Honey. Why would you go someplace HOT, when the whole point of winter is to enjoy the snow." Mikan asked blinking

"I like the hot." He shrugged, "Takashi is staying though. His family loves the cold, they have a cabin all the way in the mountains just so they can go skiing."

"Wow." Mikan blinked, "Really Mori?"

The giant only shrugged, as Honey spoke for him, "Yeah! He decided to stay this year. So while he's freezing I'll be surfing. "

"But-but." Mikan stuttered, "What about sleigh rides, and snow angels, and snow ball fights."

"Eh. Sand castles, surfing, and rides of the beach." Honey answered, "Besides the cold makes you sick."

"You're hopeless!" Mikan threw her hands in the air, "Mori assissitance please!"

He blinked, before shrugging turning back to his own lunch as Mikan slumped defeated pointing a finger at haruhi, "You are mine." who only sighed shaking her head.

"Your worse then Tamaki." She commented as Mikan laughed reaching across the table to squeeze her tight, "I know."

"Eh! Please let me breath." Haruhi complained as Mikan pumped a fist into the air, 'Never!"

"Bad puppy!" Honey smacked her head, and she finally relented as Haruhi continued to breath taking in deep breaths.

Mikan was going to dread, dearly dread next period when she had to test out the love letter on her friends. She really hoped this wasn't going to spiral into to some kind of love fest where they guessed who wrote her the love letter.

"Oh. Let me read." Yui giggled as Mikan hid her face in an act of shame feeling her cheeks burn red, "And whose this for?"

"For?" Mikan asked

"Well sure the hand writing is way too girly for a guy." Rai pointed out, "I don't know many boys who dot their I's with hearts."

"True. Well actually it's for a friend. She just wanted someone else to read it first." Mikan explained

"Sure. I bet it's for the cute junior Iku." Momo sighed, "The one with the long locks of black hair."

"The smiling eyes." Rai sighed

"How can eyes smile?" Mikan asked generally amused, "And you'll have to point him out. I still am having trouble in finding my way around this place."

"Oh we will." Yui giggled, as she re opened the letter, "Whoever your 'friend' is, I'm sure this will make any boy at least consider going out with."

"Definitely." Ria flicked her hand as the bell rang.

"Well that's excellent. I'll let her know." She answered. Truth be told, she couldn't help, but laugh to herself when she met Kyoya before the club began for the day.

"He'll be swooning." She promised, "Three out of four girls agree."

"You didn't approve?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"That pile of mushy crap. Please. I know what runs through ya'lls head, and it ain't romance." Mikan answered as she pushed open the door walking in to the winter wonderland as she threw up a pile of fake snow before watching it flutter to the ground.

"Are you excited for Christmas?" He asked

"Yeah. Are you coming to my party?" She answered turning around to look at him as he nodded, "Of course." before adding under his breath, "I'm pratically putting it together."

"Good. I just want a few close friends, sharing Christmas with my loud obxnoius family." Mikan nodded her head.

He paused for a minute, debating weather to tell her the actual size of the venue, before deciding against it. Suprises were best when they remained a surprise.

"I have an outfit I want you to wear for our last host club before the party ." Kyoya told her.

"Are we doing more cosplay?" She asked cocking her head.

"No, but it's cute to dress the puppy up." He answered smiling handing her small box, "Please enjoy."

"I will." Mikan rolled her eyes setting the box by a tea cup cabinet, "So what's the deal. I need to be caught up on things."

"There is a girl attending the club, engaged." He started

"Got that. Kaga-something or other, with the guy whose dry toast." Mikan nodded, "But how does the love letter come into play?"

"That is none of your concern. Though I want you to bring make up and that dress of your sisters, after the festivites begin meeting in the club room." He answered just as the other memebers arrived, successfully cutting off anymore of her questions.

"How'd you like that?" Mikan asked herself, crossing her arms as she began to set out the teacups. They were green with a gold rim. New ones.

Kaga-what's her name was already trying to gang up on Haruhi. Mikan didn't realize these girl could be so foreward with the hosts and she was suddenly very happy, they didn't allow any guys into the club.

"Did you see we got new teacups?" She asked pausing by Haruhi table, "I like the christmas colors."  
The girl seemed to be suddenly asorbed by the cup itself, touching it, holding it, studying it, like a horse.

"Might want to check if has good teeth." Mikan muttered laughing to herself, knowing full well no one else was going to know what she was talking about.

She pranced about dropping snow of the twins heads, as they chased her away.

"Mikan has really gotten the hang of being the puppy." Kyoya commented to Tamaki who couldn't help but glare over at Haruh's table.

"Yes." He muttered watching Mikan flutter about as he was suddenly seized with an idea, anything to make the two break up just a little for her furture husband sake of course.

"Puppy!" He ordered as she skipped over crossing her arms, "Yes?"

"I want you to say-" He wishpered into her air as she blinked at him raising an eyebrow before slowly walking back over to the table.

"I'm here to inform you that your tableware will not be imported for another month." Mikan smiled as the girl blinked, "I beg your pardon.'

"Oh. Silly me. I thought you were a different guest. Oh well." Mikan shrugged walking away as Tamaki waved his arms after her, refraining to scream what that had been about. He wanted her to say that Mr. Suzsuhima had been inquiring after her.

"What was all that about tableware?" He asked glaring at her once he finally tracked her down for a minute while she paused between tables.

"Tamaki-sempi. I am tiered, and confused, and I really don't give a damn frankly about any of this at the minute. I'm going to finish this day with as much energy as I can muster, then I am going to go home, go to class, and then drop into bed exshuted. If you would like to interrupt a costumers session, by all means go ahead." She told him, "But perhaps you should consult Kyoya first to see what he has planned, before you burden me with more of your idiotic childish schemes."

He blinked as she left him standing with his finger still pointed in the air ready to scold as he quickly hovered over to Kyoya.

"So what is the plan?" He asked quietly

"I was waiting for you to ask. " Kyoya rolled his eyes, "The others already know there parts, minus Haruhi. Now here's what I have planned."  
Tamaki blinked, knowing there was a good reason he had made Kyoyo in charge of planning, he had to literally force his jaw to shut after hearing it.

"That-that is brilliant." He smiled hugging Kyoya tight who rolled his eyes breaking his grip easily, "Enough Tamaki. Go serve your public."

Tamaki seemed to spin around at the thought of his master plan smiling to himself as Mikan threw more fake snow up in the air and upon the costumers who giggled at the funny puppy, as each piece falling gently onto the ground, neatly into place upon the floor.

* * *

lalalalala I hope you enjoyed the chapter, more light hearted than alll the drama at the mall, Mikan was definatly tiered of people treating her badly based on what she wore, and the host club 'stalking' her, though really it was just the twins.

anywho I hope you enjoy this rather short chapter


	19. Special One: Twevle Days of Ouran

well, hello there, two chapters today! This is a special and then another chapter! I was late updating because of finals and grades and stuff like that, merry chirstmas and happy holidays and happy new years! Hehe I was thinking way back when I wrote this that they would actually line up with the christmas season and they have! This is great! Reviews and Favs can be my present!

* * *

Special One: 12 days of Host club

On the first day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the second day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the third day of Christmas my dear host king to me three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the fourth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the fifth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please

On the sixth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the seventh day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the eighth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

eight scheming plans,

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the ninth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

nine skimpy outfits,

eight scheming plans,

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the tenth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

ten dirty looks,

nine skimpy outfits,

eight scheming plans,

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please

On the eleventh day of Christmas my dear host king gave tome

eleven horses eating,

ten dirty looks,

nine skimpy outfits,

eight scheming plans,

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my dear host king gave to me

twelve slabs of fatty tuna,

eleven horses eating,

ten dirty looks,

nine skimpy outfits,

eight scheming plans,

seven thwacks to the puppy,

six screaming fan girls,

five ripped stockings,

four breathless hugs,

three yummy cakes,

two devil twins

and a scholarship student with a huge debt to please.

* * *

Enjoy


	20. A Night for Celebration

well, hello there, two chapters today! This is a special and then another chapter! I was late updating because of finals and grades and stuff like that, merry chirstmas and happy holidays and happy new years! Hehe I was thinking way back when I wrote this that they would actually line up with the christmas season and they have! This is great! Reviews and Favs can be my present!

* * *

Chapter Twenty A night for Celebration

Kagame was trying to keep herself from bursting like a balloon on the inside, as her family rushed around the large house, trying to find the room they needed or in the very least each other. She didn't know if it was from, keeping the surprise or because everybody was going to drive her nuts from all the noise.

"KAGAME!" Ayumi was screaming, "Is the purple door the third bathroom or the green one?"

"Try purple." She answered as she threw on her simple black dress with the huge green sash that tied in the back. She considered her gift to her mother, dressing girlie at least for one night as she put on the pearls, and clicking on the high heels.

She fingered her long hair as she hollered for, "MIKAN! COME FIX MY HAIR!"

Her pink headed sister ran in, with her dress half put on as it hung around her waist, her own hair a mess, as she tugged on her on long blue black hair.

"We doing that bun thing?" She asked her mouth full of bobby pins as her fingers ran nimbly through the long strands, pulling and twisting as she jabbed bobby pins deep into her skull as Kagame yelped from the pain.

"You trying to kill me?" She asked as she groaned from having her hair yanked at the roots.

"I have a host club ball to attend, in less then half hour. I'm not dress, my hair is a mess, and I need to put on make up. If you die in the process it's your own damn fault." Mikan answered crossly as she jabbed another pin into the skull. Kagame was starting to consider just letting Ayumi curl it next time to avoid all the pain and a headache.

"There." Mikan answered as she finished with a over whelming cloud of hairspray, running out to do her own hair and make up. Kagame coughed, waving away the noxious fumes, as her eyes began to water. She truly believed that Mikan did not 5know the difference between recital ready and going out into public.

Then again, beauty was pain. And if she did say so herself, she was hot. She smiled, opening her door and walking down the staircase to where Sho and Jun sat playing with Cho, trying to get him to eat a banana as they sat in the middle of the floor.

"Remember boys, an iguana unlike a Papillion like banana's." She told them walking into the kitchen grabbing herself a small snack. Sometimes she wished she was a guy, all the boy had to do was throw on a suit and wait for the rest of the females in the house to get ready.

"WHERE'S MY ROUGE?" someone was screaming there voice echoing around, as the reply quickly came ,"I'm USING IT!"  
She rolled her eyes, leaning against the counter, as Mikan was next one to tromp down the stairs, walking to the kitchen.

"Ah. You taking the truck?' She asked as Kagame nodded stuffing another cracker in her mouth, "Then lets go."

"Good idea." Kagame agreed, the rest of the family, whenever they were ready would just pull over to the mansion in the limo. Of course, no one but herself knew where and who was at the said mansion. Therefore it was best to stay away until the initial fireworks had died down to a low simmer and the evening could get under way.

"So whatcha doing tonight?" Kagame asked as she climbed into the truck, turning on the heater, waiting for the engine to warm up before she had it climb out of the drive way. Lucky there had only been a few inches of snow, enough to play, but not enough to block or make the roads a bitch to drive on. The truck bounced as Mikan found herself thrown into the air a few times before it settled on the main road.

"Dancing. Eating. Serving. Amusing. Plotting. Taking over the world." Mikan answered with a shrug, 'the usual. I guess I'll just hitch a ride with the rest of the guys for the after party."

"Kyoya knows where it is." She answered quickly turning on the radio as Mikan stared at her. Kagame had been awfully mysterious about the whole party, talking on the phone for hours on end in her room, she had heard the name Kyoya mentioned a few times when she pressed her ear outside the door.

"Kyoya knows. Why am I not surprised." She muttered staring out the window , "You defiantly dolled yourself up tonight. Any guy I need to an eye out for, so in case I find you slobbering over each other."  
Kagame rolled her eyes , "No. I just wanted to get dressed up for mom. She's not home to often, and it is a special occasion."

"Uh huh." Mikan nodded not convinced. What are you hiding? she wondered as she glanced at her ever-silent sister who seemed more focus on what was playing on the radio then making conversation.

She stretched in her seat, wondering what everybody else was doing.

* * *

Kyoya had decided.

He was going to murder Kagame as soon as she ever bothered to call him again. Sure everything was just about ready, the food was piping hot, the orchestra had been warmed up and was waiting for the signal to begin, and everybody knew the plan. He had even gotten Mikan to slip the letter of to the boy in question, with the excuse was a good friend of hers who had asked her to give it.

Yet he hardly been able to sleep, between his family preparing for the several parties they would be attending, and planning this, and Tamaki calling him to babble away about nothing.

He was ready for a good cup of black coffee, cursing the fact that he had none.

"Hey Kyoya

He jumped glancing around, at Mikan who looked presentable in her blue puffy dress and jacket, wearing sensible flats.  
"Your early. Good." He answered as she laughed handing him off a black thermos.

"Coffee. I don't know why, but Kagame said that you would need it." She answered

"Mikan you are amazing. Good puppy." He congratulated patting her on the head, "Off you go. Did you already drop the dress off?"

"Yep." She answered walking back out into the long stretch of dark hall that would lead to the ball.

He followed after a minute, relishing in the fact that he had some very strong coffee. He was going to need to it to be alert tonight and not drool on the guests as he nodded asleep.

"Kyoya come on." Tamaki yelled as he ran up to him, "We got to go."

He smiled, gulping coffee again, cracking his neck as he followed him handing the thermos off to the king as he popped two mints. No good having coffee on the breath.

Tamaki glanced at the thermos shrugging, as he called for, "Puppy."

Mikan had leaning over with the twins as they worked the gambling table, setting up the chips staring at the shiny colors.

"Yeah Tamaki?' She asked as he handed the thermos. She rolled her eyes turning to walk back to the table as he called once more, "Puppy!'

"Yeah?" She asked again walking back over, as he explained slowly, "You're supposed to be serving, acting cute, not hanging with the riff raff."

"Yeah. Like as in talk to people?" She asked her eyes turning back to the twins as a crowd of girls began to slowly form.

"No." He shook his head, "As in serving drinks!" as he produced a tray, shoving it into her arms as she sighed.

"So much for a easy evening." as she smiled walking out into the gathering crowd of girls.

"Oh drinks!" Someone cried grabbing them off the tray as Mikan realized they had disappeared in five minutes, as she ran to the table to get more as more girls flowed into the ball talking with each other or the members. Mikan glanced around for her three non guy friends, but everybody looked the same in the swirl of frills and fur and sparkles. She was sure they could pin point her by her pink hair, and then by her dress. They seemed to know every brand of clothes anyone was wearing at the school.

"Hey Mikan." a familiar voice greeted.

She glanced at Haruhi in a suit, "Damn. Look at you. You clean up well. My feet already hurt and it's only been an hour."

"I'm sorry." She apologized, "This is so weird."

"What talking to me? Or to people?" She asked as the girls swirled around them like schools of fish.

"Well neither. It's more, that I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do." She admitted slowly.

"Well you can help me." She answered handing off a tray, filled with some kind of eggnog or christmy drink, "Now go around and act cute."

"This is your job." She started holding the tray .

"Yeah, it's yours too now." She answered disappearing into the crowd as a thousand hands reached to grabbed the limited amount of glasses.

Haruhi sighed adjusting her tie, she didn't mind the suit. It fit quite well actually, she didn't like the fact it was added on to her debt. Unfortuanly all her dad's old suits were to big and not nearly fancy enough to stand up to this occasion.

"Drink?" She smiled as the girls flushed quietly thanking her as they moved back into the crowd, "Drink?"

Soon enough the tray was empty say for one drink which she finally finished off herself leaning against the marble column setting the tray and empty glass down together.

Mikan wasn't kidding when she said it was hard work. Her feet were going to kill her by the end of the night.

"My feet." Mikan wailed sitting upon the gambling tableside, rubbing her feet, "Is it time yet?"

"Not yet." The twins answered as they each took a drink from her tray patting her head, 'Hang in there puppy."

"Easy for you to say. You've been doing what you do best all night."

"Gambling?" They asked

"No. Being near each other." She answered as they gave her a quick shove to get her off the table. She only jumped right back on, "So has anybody won a dance with you two yet?"

"Not yet." They admitted, "A few are pretty close."

No one seemed to be at the gambling table at the moment, so she was safe to relax without the fear of Kyoya bearing down upon her. She slipped off her shoe, rubbing her aching arches, "I hate walking. You got a pair of feet I can borrow."

"Well we let you have ours, but we're rather attached to them." They answered leaning on the table clinking the many stacks of chips.

"Damn. We raked in the cash. Is this even legal?"

"Of course." They shrugged glancing at the watch,"15 more minutes. Off you go puppy."

"Nah. I've been doing this for three hours now. I deserve a 15 minute break, we got my party afterwards anyways." She answered cracking her neck, "Besides if I leave whose to stop you from making babies?"

"Not funny." They growled as she only laughed again, "Oh come .You know I'm kidding. You to look pretty damn bored."

"We are."

"Well there you go." She answered, "I'll stay and entertain you."

"Nah. You bore us."

"Aww. Your sick of the puppy already?" She asked, "Whatcha doing for Christmas break?"

"Going to Paris with out mother." They answered ,"Her good friend lives there."

"Aww. So you'll be gone the whole time." She asked crossing her arms, "That leaves Tamaki-"

"No. Tamaki is off to the mountains in Switzerland for skiing with Kyoya whose going to be visiting family, some great aunt." They answered

"That leaves Haruhi and Mori. Oh the fun I'll have." Mikan huffed re crossing her arms.

"What's wrong with Mori and Haruhi? We love Haruhi." They answered

"Your guys." She reminded them, "And nothing, except Mori is always silent, and Haruhi, isn't much for anything but studying."

"This is true." The twins agreed, "Poor puppy. Your going to have a very boring break."

"The hell I will." She answered, "I plan to pack this break full of stuff, even if it means doing it with my sisters, or my brothers."

"Yes. Your poor poor soul." They teased glancing at the watch again, "Come puppy. The first stage has been enacted."

"What?" She asked raising an eyebrow, "What's the first stage?"

"Kidnapping." They laughed walking either side of their puppy, as they crossed into the hall walking in silence in the pitch black.

"How can you see?" she hissed, "Much less know where we're going."

"We could walk this in the dark." They answered.  
She blinked at the stupidity of that statement, "We are walking in the dark. Are we there yet?"

"We just arrived." They answered pushing open the door, as Mikan huffed, "Well what do you know."

"See." They smiled, as they swung open the door letting Mikan go in front, "Hey Kyoya"

The shadow king was standing in the middle of light music room three his hands in his pockets, glancing at his watch.

He smiled, pushing up his glasses, "Haruhi should be arriving in 3, 2, 1."

"We brought Haru-chan." Honey cried as Mori walked in with Haruhi swung over his shoulder letting her drop to the ground.

"Sorry Haru-chan." Honey apologized as Haruhi glanced around confused.

"You have to get dressed." The twins ordered handing off the pink dress as Mikan stood guard before the curtain as Haruhi came out once more playing with the fabric to make it straighter.

"Kagame will be happy to know that her dress went to good use. You might as well keep it, in case we ever have to do a crazy love scheme again." Mikan commented as she grabbed her wrist sitting her down and applying make-up, "Your lucky my sister taught me the difference between stage and regular make up, otherwise you be walking out of here looking like a whore."

"That's comforting." Haruhi started as the twins bumped the puppy out of the way.

"We want to try!" They insisted applying eye shadow, and rouge as Haruhi sat paintely.

"Oh sure. Let boy's do make up." Mikan huffed watching from behind, "Hey Kyoya did we get shoes to go with that dress?"

"Here Mika-chan!" Honey smiled handing off an opened shoebox, "We picked them up. Do you like them?"

Mikan glanced at the low-rise heels that were the same color of the hideous pink dress as she forced a smile and nod, "Honey there very pretty I'm sure Haruhi will like them."

"Alright enough." Haruhi yelled as she forced away the twins who laughed singing, "Haruhi's so pretty. Haruhi's so pretty."

"Throw on these." Mikan ordered handing off the heels as Haruhi clinged to her to slip on the low heels feeling her knees wobble.

How was she supposed to walk in these?

"Okay do us a favor and don't kill yourself." Mikan commented again as Haruhi wobbled on by swinging her arms, together as the other member's watched in curiosity and amusement before she sat down again at the mirror table, trying on the long hair wig.

It itched, it was hot on her neck, but she looked like a girl.

"Aww. You have long hair." Mikan teased, "If we had more time I could have done something with it."

"Hey what's everyone doing in here? You're supposed to be out entertain costumers." Tamaki voice drifted until it cut off, "HARUHI! YOUR SO CUTE!"

"Ahh." She yelled hiding behind Mikan in case of a sudden, Tamaki hug of death attack.

"It's okay dear." Mikan told her as she pushed Haruhi in front of her, "Now go do your thing girlfriend."

"Ow. Damn heels." She cursed under her breath as Mikan let out a fake sob, "Oh my baby has grown up so fast."

She waited until Haruhi was out of the room as the other members were busy with other things, like shoving everything into her arms. She found it really funny that they had a mirror and table, as she dropped the chest of make up onto it. There was no way she was going to be able to carry that.

"Come Mika-chan." Honey cried grabbing her hand as Mori followed them out, "We don't want to be late."

"Late for what?' She asked, but she didn't get an answer as Kyoya had run ahead of them with the twins right behind into the growing crowd of girls who seemed to hustle for a good place by the huge bay window that had been thrown open to lead to the balcony.

Honey was sprinting now, dragging her along as her feet pounded against the floor, cursing each time a jolt of pain went through her leg.

"What is so important?" She asked again, though she didn't get an answer Honey easily slid through the crowd Mori behind her, pushing gently forward.  
She let her arms hangs by her sides as she panted for breath glancing out into the garden where someone else was running below through the cold grass.

"3, 2, 1." Somebody counted off beside her as the great pine tree in the center suddenly lit up reveling the couple the host club has been trying to set up the entire time.

"Let us give congratulations to this awkward couple." Tamaki announced, as Mikan realized they were all there watching, waiting at the couple who stood in the garden. She had to give Kyoya kudo's for a job well done, though he was unreadable as always as she glanced at his stony face.

"And now a kiss from-"Tamaki started

"HARUHI!" The twins announced as Haruhi gawked and shook her head no.

"I'll cut your debt in half." Kyoya told her as she finally slumped over defeated and Mikan watched with rapt interest.

"Girl on girl. How interesting." She laughed to herself as Tamaki went off on the twins.

"WHAT!" He yelled as the twins shrugged, "Kyoya said it would be more interesting if added a twist at the end. You know milord this is probably Haruhi's first kiss."

That shut him up as he leaned over the balcony to watch his precious daughter commit the first act of passion.

Mikan seemed to giggle uncontroablly as Haruhi slid on a banana peel planting one of the lips instead of the cheek. She didn't know where the peel had come from, but it had made things more interesting.

"I kissed a girl and I like it. Taste of her cherry chapstick. Hope my boyfriend, don't mind it." She sang quietly to herself, as Haruhi seemed to beam, before Kyoya announced the winners of the waltz. The girls seemed to be crooning instead over Haruhi, and her or rather his first kiss, and how romantic it all was. Mikan was ready to puke. Her first kiss had been nothing like that. Her first boyfriend had a kiss like a laborder, and she came back every time with slober. She wondered how many of these girls had actually gone on a date yet.

"Wasn't it romantic?" someone asked beside her.

Mikan glanced, "Hey Yui. Yeah it was. Were have you guys been all night? I tried to find you."

"Gambling. Dancing. Talking." She answered as she fingered her white dress, "Momo and Rai are somewhere over there." waving her hand in a random direction, "Are you ready for your party?"

"Hell yes." Mikan answered. At least at her own party she wouldn't be serving drinks or running herself silly in love making schemes though this one had been partly fun.

She watched from above as each of the members took a turn to waltz with the winners who seemed to gush more then a girl on her first date.

She found herself stepping along to the beat absently, first simple warm up steps, and then simple waltz steps, wishing that she were a guy. At least then she could dance.

She glanced at her watch they would leave here in a half hour, since the party had just ended. She hoped Kagame and the others were having a good time, they were probably bored out of their skulls waiting for them to show up.

* * *

Enjoy

I hope this chapter wasn't to confusing and flowed alright, i haven't looked a it in forever, but I think it's been edited well. I won't update till later, so until next time, remeber to feed your puppies and hit your devil twins! read, review and fav!


	21. Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Huzzah I am back from the dead! Fear me! Fear me! Lol, hopefully everyone had a great break, I'm sure the december was a holiday season for most, but I could be wrong. I'm back at school, and now that I'm settled I can focus a little more. I have a lot of classes this semester, plus my articles for the school paper, and my website I'm trying to start up, so the updates may be a little irregular, but I will try.

Disclaimer: don't own anything, but my oc's and their drama.

Other Disclaimer: Fruit cakes are for decoration not eating.

* * *

Chapter Twenty One Most wonderful time of the year

Kagame was smiling. Natasumi glared crossing her arms as she raised a single well styled eyebrow at her oldest daughter.

"Kagame." She started, "Why did you hand the limo driver a piece of paper before we all piled into the limo?"

"Ahhh, because I wanted to give him my secret-secret love note." Kagame answered

"Mr. Yin is 35 and happily married darling, your going to have to try better than that." Natasumi warned

Kagame flicked her head to right and the left as she shifted in her seat. The twins smiled at her as Ayumi stared at her sister.

"Kagame, what's going on?" Ayumi prompted as their mother cleared her throat.

"Nothing." Kagame flicked her hair, "What do you think is going on? Can't I have a love affair with a married man?"

"You would be more likely to marry Cho." Sho and Jun answered, "At least he would loyal."

"Oh you did not just go there." Kagame hissed as her brothers stuck their tounges out.

"Oi, mama hasn't had any drinks yet, so no pulling each others heads off until I get my hands on the first bottle, then you can kill each other."Natasumi yawned,"Kagame who was hosting this party?"

She glanced out the window, quickly at the lines of cars in the snow, or rather waiting limos, camera's, what-

"Kagame!" She yelled as her oldest daughter yelped flinging open the passenger door and throwing herself into the cold snow.

"I love you mom, see you inside." Kagame yelled from the snow as she picked herself up, and running forward toward the crowd that had gathered out front as she could hear her mothers screech fill the night air,

"KAGAME! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU YOU WILL BE DEAD! DEADER THAN A RAT IN A WATER BUCKET! FEAR MY WRATH NAIVEE CHILD!"

Natasumi leaned back into the limo, shutting the door as her other three children stared at her, "Mom-" Ayumi started before she shut her mouth with a snap.

"You think we're at an ex's house?" the twins whispered to each other.

"NO!" Natasumi fumed, as she took a deep breath, "We are at my mother's house."

"GRANDMAS!" the three yelled together, as the limo screeched once more to a halt to let the children out to forge through the ice and the snow.

"GRANDMA! GRANDMA!" they screamed as Natasumi looked on disapproving from her spot from inside the limo. Oh yes, Grandma's house. The one woman she hated, and hadn't seen, hadn't seen until his death, that was eight years ago.

She rubbed her forehead, Kagame just loved to rile her up didn't she. Just had to mettle in her mother's affairs didn't she.

"Madame? Will you be joining your children or should I take you home?"

"No. I will be joining my children, one way or another." she answered, waiting another moment in the car as she sighed and pushed open the door. Her mother's country house, as they liked to call it, was lit up in its entire wonderful splendor with its wreaths, its Christmas lights, and the icicles hanging off the roof.

She glared, wrinkled her nose and shoved through the paparazzi that had flooded the doorway.

"Natasumi does this mean that you will inherit the family fortune?"

"Natasumi how does it feel to be the last daughter of the famous thourghbred family? Leaders in the races?"

She stopped, as she grabbed the reported by his collar, "Listen buddy, how does a fist to your face feel?"

"Natty, stop being so mean to the nice reporters, come inside dear."  
She turned slowly, seeing her the dreaded voice, scold her like she was stealing cookies again.

"Mother." she forced the smile, throwing the reporter back, "How have you been?"

"Fine. Your daughter has grown. Where is the other one? I know you had one more." She smiled, the prim old woman. Natasumi felt like she was in a stand off as she stared at her mother, "She's at school mother. A schooldance. I'm not sure if she'll be attending tonight."

"Come in from the cold dear." She insisted as she grabbed her arm steering her up the steps as her long gown dragged over the marble. Her mother was dressed in a prim tightly fit dress with her signature fox fur wrapped around her shoulders her steely grey hair wrapped tightly against her had.

"I need a drink." Natasumi muttered wrenching her arm from her mother's grip.

"Young woman you are still representing our family name-"

"No. This changes nothing." She hissed as she turned back to the crowd that was staring, "Hello. I'm Natasumi, I'm afraid I only know some of you."

The people eased back into the conversation, but Kagame watched from a distance.

"Hey Kagame why does mom hate grandma?" Ayumi asked glancing up at her older sister.

"Ayumi our mother is a fickle creature and grandmother is her sire." She muttered, sipping down another glass of champagne, "You know all that Manga you like to read? Well think of it of the princess that married the commoner who was brave and strong, but she had to leave everything behind only to have him die when she had her children."

"Oh." Ayumi nodded, stuffing a piece of cake into her mouth, "Grandpa's nice."

"Grand dad is nice to everyone who ain't on the hit list." Kagame muttered again.

"What?" Ayumi asked

"Nothing hun. No more skeletons coming out of a our closet for now okay." Kagame smiled, "Go get him to pull out his fiddle, these people need a distraction before Godzilla breaks out and tears apart Tokyo."

"Okay." Ayumi started moving away from her sister in her short pink gown "By the way when was Mikan going to get here?"

"Oh soon enough." She answered with a flick of her hair, texting away to Kyoya.

* * *

"AHHHH! YOUR KIDNAPPING ME AND GOING TO EAT MY SOUL AREN"T YOU!"

"What?" Kyoya asked confused as Mikan rolled into a ball upon the seat, laying her head on Haruhi's lap, "I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die."

"Mikan are you okay?" Haruhi cocked her head at her friend.  
"I don't know where I am, who I am, who are you? where are we? why are their so many people?" Mikan began to wheeze.

Kyoya sighed, luckily Tamaki was not riding in this limo, but he was sure the King was having his own problems with the ride.

"I won't serve more drinks. I won't serve more drinks. I won't serve more drinks." Mikan muttered over and over and over again.

"Shhh you won't have to." Haruhi promised arkwardly patting the top of her head, "This is your party."  
"No my party was small, tiny. Like us and maybe a few other people and my family, not this." Mikan yelled, slamming her face against the window, "SO MANY CARS! SO MANY PEOPLE!"

"You weren't told how many people were invited?" Kyoya asked, "This will be an interesting evening indeed"

"DAMN YOU SHADOW KING! DAMN YOU TO HECK!" Mikan yelled thumping her fists against his chest.

"Mikan every time you hit me, you only dig your grave deeper."  
'GOOD!" she screamed, as she began to naw on his arm and Haruhi sighed, "Is there anyway I can get a ride home?"

"I will lower your debt by a tenth if you keep Mikan sane through tonight." Kyoya told her as he pried off the shaking puppy who had returned to the floor of the limo.

"PEOPLE! PEOPLE!" she began to mutter again as Kyoya nudged her with a toe.

"Poor puppy." he muttered half-heartedly as the limo pulled to a stop and the door was opened.

"Come along puppy." He urged stepping over her folded body into the snow and the crowd that was still filtering in. Haruhi had managed to usher Mikan out of the car, as the puppy clung to her friend, they looked like an odd couple.

"Come on Mikan, you're supposed to enjoy this party." Haruhi told her, "Look there are the twins."

Mikan glanced as the rest of the host club, was enjoying the lime light, almost two much as the twins shoved each other over to get their pictures taken as Tamaki seemed to be lapping it up more than a thirsty horse in the mid day sun of a desert.

"Mikan we didn't know you were famous." Hunny cried as he waved at camera's and reporters .

"Mikan?" Haruhi asked, but the pink headed girl had grown quiet.  
"Lets get inside." She ordered as she didn't stop to pay attention to the people taking photos. Haruhi could barely catch the questions the reporters were shouting after her, "Mikan-san how does it feel to be back on the stage after your last accident?"

"Mikan-san is it true you were thrown out of your last production?"

"Mikan-san is the pink hair part of your rebellion act?"

Kyoya pushed them both along, as the reported recognized him and shouted the same barrage of questions, "What are your plans for the future?" "Does your father intend on taking more risks in this market?"

Haruhi watched in awe as they all just smiled and waved, with the exception of Mikan and Mori who both seemed uncomfortable in the crowd, with Mori having his usual stoic expression and Mikan shoving through as if there was no more tomorrow.

Mikan only seemed to relax once she was inside the grand house as Haruhi could only stare. It reminded her of the inside of Ouran, but it was a house. She had never seen a house like it, she only had speculated how the rich spent their money.

"Ah Mikan this house is wonderful!" Tamaki complimented

"Eh it could be better." The twins huffed, "We've seen bigger."

"DO NOT INSULT THE PUPPIES HOUSE! WE ARE GUESTS!" Tamaki demanded as Mikan only slapped a hand to her face.

"Why? Why? It was going to be a quiet party. A nice small quiet party, no cameras, no reporters, just me and my friends." She sighed again.

"Mikan honey. How are you?"

Mikan glanced at her mother as they exchanged a quick private glance, but she forced a smile, 'Great. Great. This is a bigger venue than what I was expecting."

"I know Kagame and I believe it is Kyoya-correct." Natasumi turned to address the tall shadow king, "Planned it. It was a wonderful surpise."

"MIkan is this your mother?" A tall blonde asked as he tugged Mikan's arm.  
She stepped to the side quickly, "Yes. Mom, Tamaki Suoh. Tamaki my mother, Natsumi Tanaka."

"Pleasure to meet you Ms. Tanaka." Tamaki said quickly kissing her hand and bowing as she raised an amused eyebrow.

"The pleasure is all mine. I believe your father has left for the evening, but I can see where you receive your eloquence."

"Thank you ma'm." He answered politely, "And let me introduce the rest of our friends."

"Honey, Mori . Kyoya, Haruhi, and Hikaru and Karou." Mikan interjected pointing to each of the boys as she named them not allowing for Tamaki to go on in a lengthy introduction.

"Hikaru! Karou!" Natsumi greeted rushing forward to give them a quick hug, "How is your mother? She didn't come tonight. What's all that about?"  
"She has a show to get ready for." They answered, "We send her apologies."

"Psh. Tell her I'll have her over for dinner to make up for it then." She shrugged as she turned to greet Kyoya again, "I can't tell you how surprised I am you were able to plan such a venue?"

"I hope it hasn't troubled you." He answered, "Your daughter did request that I help her."

"Oh did she." Natasumi replied, "No matter. I love it anways, a wonderful gift." as she moved on to Honey and Mori.

"Mori. I don't believe your parents came tonight. Though I did see your mother Honey."

"Is she still here?" The small boy asked.

"I'm not sure." She admitted as she smiled and waved her hands, "Off with the lot of you. Through the doors is all the dancing and down the hall are food and drink."

"Fatty tuna Haruhi." MIkan teased punching a brunet in the shoulder.

"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot you Haruhi." Natusmi smacked her forehead, "Duh. Your father came for a short while as well. Such lovely thighs, I dare say he looked stunning in that dress."  
The boy felt his cheeks flush as she only smiled wider, "Kagame had a wonderful time with him of course, trading beauty tips. And of course there is plenty of fatty tuna if you would like it."

"Maybe later." He started as Mikan tugged on his arm, "Come on they're playing a reel."

"What's a reel?" Honey asked, "Do you eat it?'

"That's an eel." Mikan corrected, "No this is dancing." as she paused wide open the tall oak doors laughing as the music picked up again as her grand dad bellowed a hello to "MIKAN AND COMPANY!"

"That's my Granddad." Mikan told them as the members stared at her, unsure of what to do as they gathered behind her like ducklings behind a mother. The grand hall was enoerumas. It had to be in order to fit the tree with fitted with gold and silver ornaments and ribbing, and the small band off to the sides, not to mention all dancers who were comfortably packed in with plenty of elbow room to spare.

"Well come on. I didn't serve three hours at a party not to dance." She huffed turning to face them as the other couples moved on to the floor.

"But this isn't dancing." Kyoya gestured to the people jumping, spinning round.

"Nah. This is make up your own shit to the beat of the music." She answered, as she grabbed a red hair boy who seemed to be also watching from the sidelines.

"Dance with me." She ordered as he smiled spinning with her round and round in circles as they held hands.

"Well come on." Tamaki shrugged after a minute brushing back his hair, "Join in. There's plenty of girls our age." as he quickly made his way to a blushing girl who accepted his hand and they joined in the dance.

"Whoa." Tamaki yelled as he felt his head spin, as Mikan laughed grabbing a hold of him and spinning round, before switching onto another boy and then another.

"Isn't this fun?' She asked Kyoya when they found themselves partnered who answered her breathlessly.

"Yes. I've never danced like this before." He answered taking another deep gasp for air.

"I love it," Mikan smiled spinning faster as he wrestled his way out of her grip and only to find himself in the hands of another girl, who seemed all to happy to bounce around. He passed her off to Honey whose partner clawed onto him, moving a little slower, making it easier, before she was taken away by another boy. He was going to be lucky if he wasn't dead by the end of this.

"Hanging in their Kyoya." Kagame asked him as she spun him at a much slower pace as the other couples moved like a blur around him.

"Yes. Thanks for the coffee."

"Figured you need it." She answered, "Mikan said you look tiered and ragged. How did you love plan go?'

"Quite well. I even invited them." He nodded to a couple that seemed to be laughing holding hard onto each other.

"Oh. How sweet." Kagame crooned, "Do you have your wife picked out yet?'

He rolled his eyes, "That's more tradition and doesn't always happen. They were decided, because they got along and the match would be good."

"Right." She nodded, "My plan worked out well, if I do say so myself. My mom and Grannie are at least acknowledging each other, few terse words."

"What are your grandparents involved in?" he asked as Kagame moved over to the side to make it easier to talk.

"Horses." She answered, "They breed champions out in Montana. My gran met my dad at a race and fell in love. They live between Japan, America, and uh Italy."

"Ah. That's were the passion comes from." He commented as she nodded.

"Born and bred on horse blood." She answered, "Now the deal with my parents, just to keep you caught up since I know you'll find out sooner or later is my mom was rich, fell in love with a 'commoner', her mom disproved wanting to stick with tradition. They fell out of contact. Granddad could give a rat's ass about the whole thing as long as whomever my mom married would provide for her. Long story short, this is the first time my mom has gotten to see my grandma. Amazing isn't it? Crazy things parents do."

He understood that more than she knew, "At least they're talking again."

"I did one step better. We're having Christmas at our house." She smiled, "They can hate each other with glances and exchange harsh words behind closed doors."

"Impressive." He nodded, "Are you happy with the outcome of the party?"

"Yep. I don't know any of these people, but they all seem nice enough." She shrugged, as she turned to watch the other members continue to dance, "I'm sure you'll about this for awhile from Tamaki."

"I plan for it." He answered, "Do you have any coffee?"

"Of course." She smiled as she led him around the edge of the dance hall, and outside down the hall where the refreshments were.

Only Mori sat on the side lines clapping along to the music, preferring to watch as even Haruhi was spun around by various girls who seemed eager to join in with the hot boys as the songs switched between fast and faster. He counted at least ten songs as the one by one each of the members stumbled to the sidelines.

"How can she keep going?" The twins asked amazed as they hung onto each other stumbling to the door.

"I don't know." Haruhi huffed following them needing badly to sit down as her ankle killed her. She had almost forgotten that she had twisted several hours prior. She wasn't sure if her feet had even touched the floor during all the dances, the girls had kept her spinning.

Even Honey followed with Tamaki who seemed woozy, "Need food." Honey complained.

"Need water." Tamaki answered his cry as they went for the refreshments down the hall.

"Are you having fun dears?" a voice asked as Tamaki stopped to turn around.

He glanced at the small old woman in her a tight black long sleeved dress and a fur collar, "I do hope you still have your feet."

"Yes. Thank you." Tamaki bowed, "You daughter knows how to put on a party."

"Thank you." The woman answered smiling, "Go dear. You look ready to collapse."

Tamaki thanked her again, running to catch up with the other members who were already enjoying themselves on refreshments.

"Aw no fatty tuna!" the twins teased Haruhi who shrugged, trying other food, and sipping on water as she collapsed onto a couch sighing and rubbing her ankle.

"Cake." Honey cried munching away as the twins ate their own plate of food. Everyone's stomach empty, even after filling up on the other food. No one seemed to notice that Mikan was missing.

She had remained on the dance floor of those left in the host club as she slowly lost her sweater and then her hair became loose falling onto her shoulders. She excused herself stumbled over to him flushed and out of breath, but happy.

"Mori. Come on. You haven't danced once. And no that one time with Honey does not count."

She had seen him spin Honey round and round, until he had been stolen away by an older girl who seemed to want to try it. Honey had been all to happy to oblige, leaving him to stand happily on the had thrown her hair into a quick tight bun, jabbing pins into her skull with skill and speed, he was sure she probably could kill someone if she had to with them. He found himself suddenly being dragged onto the floor.

He stared down at her as she grabbed his hands, "Come on. Who's a good boy? Whose a good boy?"

He rolled his eyes, walking with her the rest of the way onto the dance floor that was rather devoid of couples.

"One last song. And then we'll have to give it a rest." Her grand father called, "You the people decide? Do we want a fast one? Or a slooooow one?"

"Slow!." Came the collective moan of couples who had been worn out by the consecutive fast songs, as they jumped, and spin.

"You got lucky." Mikan smiled up at him as she positioned her hands and the waltz began, "Very lucky. I really wanted to spin around and around."

He didn't say anything again as he craned his neck to look down at her, she collapsed again his chest for a minute as she took a deep breath.

He yawned himself, rubbing his eyes, as the song went on and on, and their feet moved slowly to the beat. He wasn't sure if they could consider it dancing, more just flowing slowly over the dance floor, trying not to bump into the other dancers.

"Whoops. I'm falling asleep on you." She started lifting her head up and shaking it, "Okay let's get in the swing of things, one ,two, three."

He led as they turned around and around slowly circling, as she swayed easily with the beat as her feet moved in time with his steps, until at the song ended as she yawned again.

"Lets go sit for a minute. My feet are killing me." She told him, letting go of his hands as she made her way to the two big doors and out into the hall. ,

He silently was relieved to leave the dance floor, his own feet sore from the night's activities as they both gladly sank into a small velvet couch where the slim pickings of food remained on the white lien covered tables and only a few people now stayed to chat.

She was so tiered kicking off her shoes, as he sat beside her petting her hair softly as she laid her head against his leg letting her legs hang off the side. She smiled to herself yawning once more. It had to be at least one in the morning.

She closed her eyes, falling asleep to him petting her hair.

Mori stayed awake as Honey stumbled in alert as always, "Come on Takashi. We need to go home, everybody else already left, and Mikan's mother is waiting for her."

He nodded, as he shook her shoulder, she simply mumbled something.

"You can carry her." Honey told him, "I'm still wide-" he yawned, "Awake."

He got up stretching and cracking his neck before bending down and picking her up. Her head simply lolled this way or that, feeling more like he had a dead corpse in his arms then a sleeping girl as her mouth gaped open and her hair messily fell into her face.

"Silly puppy." Honey laughed as Mori walked out with him to the grand hall way with its white marble, and oak doors with wreaths hung everywhere. Ms. Tanaka stood by the front door shrugging on her coat as she spotted him, gesturing for him to come over.

"Thank you Mori. I'm afraid all my other children caught rides back to our house." She hiccupped, "Excuse me. Could you please bring her to the car?" She asked as she yawned,

He nodded as Honey shrugged on his own coat, holding Mori's as they followed Ms. Tanaka out the large front door, down the front steps to the last two limos that waited out in the driveway.

"Good bye mother, dad." She called over her shoulder as the elderly man waved good-bye.

"See you tomorrow morning." her father called as the huge door slammed shut. They made their way in to the stillness of the night, as the lamps lit up their path the driveway.

The driver quickly opened the door as she climbed in side and then waited for Mori to lean in to set her inside. Natsumi clicked on her seat belt as Mikan lolled her head to the left, still sound asleep.

"Good night Mori and Honey!" She waved as he shut the door, as Honey waved good-bye.

They staggered away into the light snow that had fallen clambering into his own limo as honey held onto his hand and she gave the go ahead, "Home please."

The limo pulled out swiftly as she watched the scenery roll by in a snowy blurr.

"Did you have a nice night Ma'm?" the driver asked after a moment.

"Yes. Thank you for waiting. I hope I didn't keep you from family." She answered

"No ma'm." The drive answered swiftly as they lapsed into silence, a light Christmas tune played over the radio.

It really was the most magical time of the year, she thought happily to herself. She had actually been able to stand to be in the same room with her mother, once she had a few glasses of expensive champagne, her father's fiddle tunes held a lively beat that kept the night moving, the reporters had faded away after the people had stop coming, and she had been able to relax. She promised herself she would shelter them from that kind of attention, the kind she had grown up with. Mikan had been unlucky, but the rest she had managed to keep out of the news, despite Kagame's occasional wild stunt. She pushed it from her mind, it was a night to be happy and thankful, not to worry.

She smiled to herself, again, thinking of tomorrow morning, the smell of cinnamon buns and opening presents. Of course she would take treats to the horses, which want their own gifts for all their toil. They lived like kings though and they knew it.

The limo pulled to a stop as she got out of the car, shaking Mikan awake, who mumbled and un hooked her seat belt as she clambered out of the car and through the front door.

"Good night." Natsumi called the driver turned off the engine, getting into his own waiting car that was parked a little way away.

"Good night Ma'm. Merry Christmas." He answered.

"Merry Christmas." She echoed pushing open the front door and locking it behind her. She sighed deep relief as she chucked off her heels, her arches were going to kill tomorrow. She simply assumed Mikan had made it to her own room as she turned up the stairs throwing open the door.

She flipped on the light switch. So it wasn't her room per say, but there were so many rooms in the house, she was too tired to bothered trying to find and it had a night gown in the drawer that would fit. She slipped off the dress trading it for the boxer shorts and over sized t-shirt, before turning on a side lamp, and then turning off the main light. She climbed into the big bed as she flipped off the light laying her head down as she quickly fell asleep.

Mikan however found herself awake. She had been having the weirdest dream about Mori , something about him being the nutcracker and they had been dancing together on the stage under the hot stage lights and honey as the sugar plum fairy. She shook her head lying back down as her head filled with various thoughts in a swirl like a whirlwind.

The was weird, she thought to herself as she suddenly realized she was still in her party dress, Why am I in my dress?

She climbed out of bed, as she quickly discarded the dress and shrugged into a tang top and boxers climbing to be warm under her covers as her feet slid under Cho who growled.

"Sorry boy.' She yawned as the little dog laid his back down yawning. That had been so much fun. Dancing. She must have danced at least with ten different boys, total strangers, before the twins got a hold of her and then Honey each spinning her round and round. She even got to waltz, well a very sloppy version. Her poor feet ached so bad she couldn't really enjoy it.

"One, two, three-" She counted to herself as she laid her head down drifting off into sleep.

* * *

hmmm, so yes it has taken me a long time, but this chapter required editing after I realized Mikan's initial reaction would have been all wrong. Hopefully you who are loyal to my story have not lost hope. Well I would have, but hopefully you have better hope than I do. Feels good to have this chapter up and now this story arch is finished comes the next one. Wahoo for new years! I have a semi-filler chapter to do next, not sure I will take a vote all those in favor of all seven christmases and all those in favor of focus on Mikan's which ties into a few, poll in my profile.

Oh and see that little button at the bottom, just a nice reminder people still like my story and I'm not wasting my finger strentgh. Come on one little click is all it takes! Support your writers!


	22. Wolves at the Door

Chapter Twenty-One

Yup another chapter. Please forgive any variations with Honey's name, or maybe it's Hunny. I can't remeber. Question does Mori's raccoon have a name? I haven't seen one mentioned in the manga, I left it out since I couldn't find it.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Haruhi yawned. Christmas holiday was always such a bother. There was such a waste of paper, and dishes, and then her father was out with his friends enjoying the holiday. She liked it better this way, because he wasn't trying to fawn over her or over react to their lack of gifts. She didn't like a lot of gifts.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She contemplated getting up out of the chair. She had spent most of the morning getting her chores down, and the break had allowed for her to cease her studies. She was going to sit in the silence and watch re runs of the holiday specials.

"HARUHI! PLEASE LET ME IN! THE WOLVES ARE OUT HERE! I CAN"T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!'

"Fine. Fine." Haruhi sighed, getting out of the chair and walking over to the door, as she undid the locks as a half frozen Mikan stumbled through.

"My god is this- is this heaven?"

"No. Now get your ass through the door I'm freezing." Kagame ordered as she gave Mikan a kick, Mikan crawled forward followed by her other sister Ayumi, and her two younger brothers.

"Did you bring your whole family?" Haruhi asked as they filtered in glancing around the small apartment.

"Mom plus grandma equals bad idea." Kagame sighed, "I had to save them from the horrors."

"Oh, Kagame stop being such a drama queen." Ayumi scolded, brushing herself off, "Our heats off, and since you're the only one close enough we decided to come here."

"Where are your mother and her parents?" Haruhi started

"At their house." Kagame answered quickly, "But I couldn't stand another minute of my mother's bickering with my grandmother, and I decided to get out before I killed myself. We're only stopping by, because Mikan said you and her had plans."

"We do?" Haruhi started as Mikan grinned.

"Yeah, remember, we were going to go to Tamaki's house-"

"Tamaki is out of town. He and Kyoya have gone skiing."

"Oh well then the twins," She began again.

"Are in France with their mother"

"Um then Honey-"

"Is in the tropics with his brother." Haruhi finished, "Everyone went away for Christmas, don't you remember."

"No." Mikan sighed, "Honey and Mori must be having a great time in the sun, or the Twins in France, or even Tamaki-well maybe not Tamaki."

"Actually Mori didn't go with Honey this year." Haruhi corrected, "Don't you remember how much of a fuss there was at lunch-"

"No." Mikan blinked as she suddenly smiled, "Kagame we're going to Mori's!"

Haruhi glanced behind her, "Eh! What are you doing?"

"Cleaning for you," Kagame answered as she put away the last of the dishes, "I have to do something to keep myself busy while we wait for you two to decide on something."

"Look it's like our first house." Sho and Jun cried, "Only without the cabinet."

"You slept in a cabinet."

"No they didn't." Kagame corrected, "Are you two ready?"

"To Mori's!" Mikan announced grabbing Haruhi's hand,"Come on, lets' go."

"But it will be rude if we don't call." Haruhi started, even as she tugged on her winter jacket, as if she knew Mikan, like the other host club member lack boundaries when it came to calling on people.

"Nah tis cool. I called before, he said its fine." Mikan answered, as she reopened the door and a rush of snow blew in, "its pretty cold outside."

"No kidding." Haruhi answered making her way slowly outside as Ayumi and her brother's shoved past them, "The door."

"Kagame's got it." Mikan answered, as there was thump and the door closed.

"So much for a quiet afternoon," Haruhi muttered to herself, but her grievances were lost in the howl of the wind.

* * *

Mori stared at the phone in front of him. He had the house phone and his cell phone in case Honey needed something. He wasn't sure how he would answer his request, but he would make it happen even 100,000 miles away in the tropics.

He had been like that all morning, even after they had breakfast, opened presents, he had to have that phone near him at all times along with his cell phone. He refused to go sledding, build snow men, so he was left to sit with himself and his pets. That was until a new voice interrupted the silence.

"MORI! Where are you Mori?" somebody yelled.

"Kya!" Mikan it's rude to barge into people homes."

"I'm not barging. I'm enacting my right as a puppy to find someone to play with."

He blinked. How had she managed to find his house, less get into to it?

"Mori!" Mikan smiled squeezing him as he still sat in front of the phone, "Come on. We're going to go play."

He didn't move.

"Mori, if you don't move this instant I'll cry," Mikan threatened. He ignored her as she finally threw herself over his lap as his pet raccoon moved quickly to the top of his head.

"I won't move until you come and play." She huffed crossing her arms glaring up at him. He sighed, nudging her with the palm of his hand as she rolled off slowly, on top of the phone.

"Ow." she muttered shoving the phone from out of underneath her.

Haruhi sighed sitting next to Mori. Mikan had a knack for getting people to do what she wanted.

"Mori, why don't you want to have fun? Please! Come on I braved the snow and sleet to come see you!" She began again sitting up, "Please. Please."

He blinked, and patted her head, shoved her once more over to the side, as she only swayed to the side.

"Come on Mori. Please. Please. Please."

He shook his head no.

"Mori-san, why are you sitting in front of the phones?" Haruhi started noticing the two phones in front of him.

"Honey," He answered quietly.

"Oh you're worried again." Haruhi nodded as Mikan only sat up and stared at the Raccoon who hissed at her.

"MORI! YOUR RACOON HATES ME!" She yelled

He shook his head no, as he gently pulled the raccoon off his head and back into his lap where is settled.

"Please, come play, I'm so bored." Mikan begged again, "Please don't deny the puppy eyes."

Mori just raised an eye brow, turned to Haruhi who shrugged, and then went back to staring at Mikan.

"Mori, I want you to have this then." Mikan started as she produced a box,"I forgot to give my presents at school, so you and Haruhi are the only ones getting them on time."

He took the small box and opened it carefully, "Ah." He nodded as he stared at the dance coupon, good for one free Ballroom lesson.

"See." She smiled, "I hope you like it. Will you come outside now?"

He shook his head no as Mikan crossed her arms, as she sighed, "Mori I didn't want to do this."

He stared at her, as Mikan grabbed both phones, and ran away. He stared after, and looked at Haruhi.

"Mikan come give those phones back." Haruhi yelled after her.

"Look he can't sit on his butt all day." Mikan answered as Haruhi heard the distinct sound of a door opening.

"Mori I don't think she's coming back."

He shrugged, returning to pet his raccoon. There was an eerie silence as they sat next to each other and then TWACK!

"AHHH MIKAN!" Haruhi yelped, "No throwing snowballs inside."

"THBBBT!" Mikan answered as she tossed another one straight at Mori's neck. He stood up slowly letting the raccoon out of his arms as he turned to stare at Mikan.

"Phone now," He ordered.

"Nooo," Mikan answered, tossing another snowball that hit Haruhi in the face.

"AHH! Mikan no fair!' Haruhi yelped again brushing the snow of her face, as Mori disappeared for a minute his raccoon scrambling for somewhere warmer.

"See you outside." Mikan smiled waving her hand as there was a dialing of a phone, "HEY TAMAKI! WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?"

"MIKAN DON"T USE PEOPLE'S MINTUES!" Haruhi started running out, as she rammed straight into Mikan who fell into the snow.

"It's not even on." She answered showing the dead phone, "Let build a snowman or something."

"I think you should give Mori back the phone." Haruhi started.

"Why?" She asked

"Well I think he was a little upset." Haruhi answered.

"He and Hunny are always together, so I think its fine they have a break for once. Besides if Hunny was in trouble he's probably got ten people at his call and another five following him around." Mikan answered with a shrug, pocketing the phone into her winter jacket as she bent over and began rolling the snow.

"I don't really like the snow." Haruhi commented, as she watched Mikan roll in the snow.

"I never knew Mori, had such a big house." Mikan started absent mindedly as she pushed the snow into a bigger and bigger ball, "I'm going to go check for Mori."

"Okay." Haruhi shrugged, "I'll wait out here."

There was another silence as she heard a sudden scream,"AHHHH! RABID COON! RABID COON!"

Haruhi glanced as Mikan came bursting outside, followed by the raccoon who seemed to be chasing her.

"I'm too young to die." Mikan yelled as she suddenly tripped in the snow and the raccoon scurried up into her jacket, "AHHH! HELP I'm BEING VIOLATED!" as she laughed hysterically from being tickled.

"I think it wants the cell phone." Haruhi started as Mikan dug it from her coat pocket as the raccoon snatched the phone from her hand scurrying away again.

"I was just mugged by a coon." Mikan shook her head, "Dear god that's wrong."

"I guess Mori trained him." Haruhi shrugged, "Are you ready to go back inside?"

"No way." Mikan answered, "Besides I don't even know where Mori went."

"Probably sitting inside warm." Haruhi answered as Mikan sighed.

"Come on Haruhi just try and have fun." Mikan urged.

"I will if I wasn't freezing." She answered as Mikan suddenly yelped.

"Ow! Hey stop throwing snow balls!" Mikan yelled as Haruhi answered, "It's not me."

"Mori?" She asked as the giant was tossing another snowball in the air.

"Phone," He ordered

"You'll never have it!' Mikan yelled running away through the snow, tripping and falling on her face.

Thwack! Thwack!

"Ah! Haruhi help."

Haruhi was watching safely from the edge of the porch as Mikan ran around the edge dodging Mori's snowballs. She contemplated telling Mori that Mikan didn't have the phone, but then again it was keeping her from being bored at least for a while.

"AHHH! NO MORI PUT ME DOWN! PLEASE!" Mikan begged as Mori had turned her upside down, shaking her, "I don't have the phone, the raccoon stole it. AHHHH! Haruhi tell him!"

"I don't know." Haruhi shrugged, as Mori dropped Mikan into the snow, and began to drag her around.

"AHHHH! Come on, Mori. Listen I can get it so you can talk to Hunny face to face please!" Mikan begged as Mori stopped, and lifted her up so she was flung over his shoulder and tromping inside where he sat her down.

"Ow, my ribs." She muttered, "Okay where's your laptop?"

Mori disappeared for another minute, as Haruhi came back in.

"Are we done playing outside?" She asked coming to sit by Mikan who was busy stripping out of her winter gear, "Why did you wear snowboarding goggles again?"

"One day with my brothers in the snow is enough to make you take all necessary precautions." Mikan answered tossing her clothes into a pile to the side, "Does Mori only occupy this room?"

It was pretty bare, beside the hard wood floor and the tan walls and scattered pots of bamboo, and the small table and cushions.

"Nah," Haruhi shrugged grabbing a cushion, "it's just a more traditional style of Japanese housing."

"Oh." Mikan nodded as Mori came back with a black laptop and the raccoon perched on his head, "EVIL! EVIL!"

"The raccoon is not evil." Haruhi told her as Mori handed her the laptop and Mikan began to fiddle away on it.

"Ah ha! Here we go." She muttered typing away, "I hope you don't mind I had to download the program, username, password, and done."

There was a ringing sound as the screen suddenly showed Tamaki's confused face as Mikan screamed, "AHHH! TAMAKI! YOU'RE STUCK IN A BOX! OMG HOLD ON I'LL SEND A RESCUE TEAM!"

"AHHHH!" Tamaki howled, "I knew this place was evil."

"Tamaki aren't you in Sweden?" Haruhi leaned in as she glanced at the very expensive looking hotel room.

"Yes, we're going skiing in a moment." Kyoya's face came into view, shoving over a panicking Tamaki, "How are you Mikan?"

"Good." She answered, "Say Hi to Mori and Haruhi."

"Hello." Kyoya answered, "How are your holidays?"

"Fine." Haruhi answered as Mikan jumped in, "it's great, we're hanging out today, since you all LEFT ME!'

"Oh allow me to apologize." Kyoya answered rolling his eyes, "Tamaki entertain your puppy and stop being a bad master."

"AHH! MIKAN I APOLOGIZE!" He started, "Are you having fun? Plenty to eat?'

"Tamaki I'm not an actual puppy, my family does take care of me." She answered crossing her arms, "How's Sweden? What are you guys doing over there?"

"Enjoying the snow." He answered, "It's everywhere!"

"You snowboard?" Mikan asked

"Of course it's expected for a good host to be versed in a variety of sports that test his mental capacity-"

"Then you've already failed, gotta go Tamaki, the twins are on. Bye." Mikan answered as she clicked out of the video.

"Mikan what is this called?" Haruhi asked

"Skype," She replied, "It's like a video chat."

"Oh.' Haruhi nodded as the Twins popped on screen.

"Hey you two, how's the honey moon? Sorry I missed the wedding, can I expect babies soon," Mikan smiled.

"Ha ha, very funny puppy," They started, "Surprisingly even a continent away you're still ugly, you think the distance would help."

"Ouch. So hurt. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas present." She quipped.

"What present?" They asked

"Exactly," She nodded laughing, "Merry Christmas"

"Stupid puppy, put Haruhi on, we like her better. Hi Mori!" They waved to the giant who was stroking his Raccoon.

"Hello." Haruhi waved

"Haruhi why didn't you come with us?" They asked, "You stuck with the mutt on the winter break."

"Its okay." She answered with a shrug, "I was hoping for a quiet day, but then Mikan invited me over to Mori's."

"BAD PUPPY!" The twins yelled

"Hey you would have made her moved in France.' Mikan reminded them, "Alright peace out boys."

"You can't leave us!" They started fuming.

"Oh look it-"Mikan answered, "Red x button. Whoops! And they're gone. Here's Hunny."

"MIKA-CHAN! I can see you on the screen!" Hunny smiled

"Yep,' Mikan nodded.

"Hey how did you get everyone to get a Skype account?" Haruhi started.

"Long side story, but basically we were all in the same study hall." She answered, as she plopped the laptop into Mori's lap at the waving Hunny, who smiled and shifted the computer as Hunny began to ramble off what he had been doing.

"Come on, let's go root for some food." Mikan urged getting up as she stretched her legs.

"Mikan-"Haruhi started, but though better of it as they walked out together through the long halls of the house.

"You think finding a kitchen would be easy." Mikan muttered to herself.

"Mikan was that your real present to Mori?" Haruhi asked

"What? No." She answered, "I really meant the dance coupon, Mori needs to get over his fear of being in the public eye."

"Oh." Haruhi nodded eyeing her friend, "Where did that Raccoon go with the phone anyways?"

"No idea." Mikan answered as she opened a door, "Bedroom. Nope."

"Hmm." Haruhi hummed to herself, "How was your Christmas morning?"

"Busy." Mikan replied, "My twin brothers jumped on me at three in the morning, then proceeded to dump a bucket of cold water on my sister, and then they were chased with a broom by Kagame. None of us could get to sleep, so we ended up baking for three hours, when my mom and my grandparents got up. We have a five course breakfast, and finished around nine."

"Wow." Haruhi started

"Hold on not done." Mikan continued, "Then my mom sent us on a scavenger hunt, because she couldn't remember which room in the house held the tree, and that took another hour, it ended up being a bathroom. Then she brought out the presents which we opened in the main foyer since it was the only room big enough."

"Why did you have to find your Christmas tree?" Haruhi started

"To make sure it wasn't lost." Mikan answered, "So then we went for a sleigh ride, because that's what Kagame got for my mom. The twins terrors drove Ed, into a fright, so we ended up galloping in a sleight across the hills, had to get a new team, Tic and Toc, since Ed was exhausted."

"That's all?" Haruhi continued as they opened another door. Still no kitchen and she was starting to get hungry.

"Nope, Then we had a snowball fight and went it for lunch. That's when the trouble started, because we had left the Christmas tree lights on it shorted out, the entire house, so we had no heat. And that's when we decided to go to my grandparents, but I really couldn't take anymore of my family, so I convinced Kagame to take me to your house, and then to one of the members."

"And that is how we ended up at Mori's." Haruhi nodded as Mikan slid open another door.

"Ha and we found the kitchen, that was convenient." She noted, "I hope you like Peanut butter and jelly, only thing I can make fast."

"My mom used to make me noodles, when I was hungry." Haruhi started as she watched Mikan lay out the bread like an assembly line.

"Peanut butter and jelly all the way." MIkan answered, "When my mom wasn't home, my dad would let us put Nutellla on instead. It was like eating a peanut butter cup."

Haruhi smiled, Mikan never talked of her father. She must have been old enough to remember him when he passed away.

She had seen photos the few times she had been to her house over the weekends. He was always grinning and engaged in something potentially dangerous, like wrestling with a bull or sky diving.

She shook her head, as she listened to the quiet hum of the refrigerator, Mori's house, despite its traditional apperence, and did not lack modern touches.

"I wonder if they have a chef." Mikan started as she stacked the finished sandwiches and dumped the knife in the sink, and replaced the peanut butter and jelly back to their rightful places. She glanced inside the refrigerator for a moment more, "Nothing to drink."

"I'm sure Mori will have tea." Haruhi commented as Mikan walked by her carrying the stack of sandwiches.

"What ever you say." Mikan replied with a shrug as they made their way back through the maze, "Maybe we should mark our way back so we don't get lost."

"We'll be fine." Haruhi assured her as a few minutes later and a second right turn they stumbled across Mori staring blankly at the computer screen.

"Omg! He's comatose!' Mikan yelled shoving the sandwiches into Haruhi's hands and tackling Mori from behind. She simply ricochets of the back and back into the ground, as Mori hadn't moved from his place.

Haruhi sat by a hurt Mikan who stretched herself out sitting and grabbing a sandwich, and scurrying to the other side of him, trying to wave the sand which into his face.

He glanced at it, and took it from her outstretched hand as he continued to stare out at the screen. Mikan ran a finger over the keypad as the screen popped back up.

"Oh he left his bunny to talk to you." She commented as she pressed sleep for the computer, "Creepy pink bunny of doom.'

Mori was silent as ever as Mikan gave him a quick nudge in the side, but he continued to simply sit as if memorized by the screen.

"I don't get it." Mikan bean, "How can he go being stock still and silent for so long? '  
Haruhi only gave a small shrug as she ate her sandwich. She had never given much thought as to why each of the hosts acted they way they did. It was apart of their nature.

Just as it was apart of hers to be studious. She never had the urge like Mikan to be loud and hyper. She really did fit the description of a puppy as she had begun to naw Mori's head. Mori would stop her if he found her to be a nuisance.

Mikan had settled for a knee, laying out with her arms sprawled across his lap as the raccoon sat upon her arms. They had made peace of the moment.

Haruhi yawned as they reverted to staring at the screen saver of the fishes swimming across the screen.

At least I'm doing one thing I wanted today, Haruhi sighed laying on her back in the quiet, stillness of the house. They must have stayed like that for a half hour or so. The exsushtion of playing out in the snow had taken its toll.

The ringing of the computer soon broke it, as Mikan moaned and hit a key as Honey's face popped on the screen.

"Mika-chan! Mori-chan! Haru-chan!' Hunny cried out, "Look I got tan!'

He was redder than a lobster. Haruhi and Mikan glanced at Mori who twitched ever so slightly.

"Honey, did you forget to wear sun tan lotion?' Mikan asked Honey was busy leaving his own handprints in his his skin.

'No. It just came off." He answered

"Honey you do realize you have to wear sunscreen and re apply it?" Mikan asked

"But it said all day protection." Honey stated

"Not when in the tropics." Mikan corrected, "Do you have aloe?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine." He answered, look I match my bunny."

"That's not good." Haruhi began, as Hunny was a darker shade of pink than his stuffed bunny.

"I know someone who will be peeling in a few days." Mikan clicked her tongue.

There was a call in the background as Honey waved, "I got to go. Bye bye! See you soon!"

"So Mori, you going to have another guilt trip tonight?" Mikan asked

"Mikan be nice." Haruhi scolded

"No.' Mori answered, "he will be fine, his turns red and then fades away again."

Mikan blinked as she sat up and patted the top his head, "Good boy. Good boy. First full sentence all day."

"Mikan's its almost four.' Haruhi commented, "I need to go home."

'I suppose I've avoided my family long enough," Mikan started as she picked up her cell phone out her pocket and wandered away.

Haruhi yelped as the raccoon pounced into her lap. "Mori-san I didn't know you kept wild animal as pets."

Mori didn't answer as he stroked its ear and Haruhi slowly stroked it back fur.

"Evil raccoon." Mikan cooed, as she bent down to stroke it as well, and the raccoon gave a hiss and attacked her head as she ran around in a circle as it clung to her hand.

"Wah! Killer coon! Killer coon!" She screamed, as Mori and Haruhi watched.

"I feel as if we should help." Haruhi started as Mori watched before he produced a second half of the sandwiches, holding it out stretched as the Raccoon leaped onto his arm, snatching the sandwich before curling up in his lap and munching away on his treat.

"Stop rewarding it." Mikan growled as she un did her hair, and quickly put it back into a pony tail, "Thanks for letting invade your house, Mori."

"Ah." He replied

"I will take that as an invitation to come back anytime." Mikan smiled, "Come on Haruhi, my sister will be here any moment."

"Coming." as she shrugged back on her snow clothes, following Mikan back out to the main foyer.

Mori waited until the footsteps faded as he picked up his raccoon, the laptop and his phone and slowly drifted back to his room as he collapsed onto his bed, drifting to sleep.

He jolted awake as his younger brother waved from the door, "Hey Mori, please tell me you did more than sit in front of the phone all day."

He gave a nod lying down as he stroked it, "Friends came over."

"Sweet. You missed some assume snow boarding." He taunted

He thought of chasing Mikan, talking to Honey and the other hosts, chilling with Haruhi in the small hours of peace.

"I managed." He replied as his brother retreated. They never spoke more than what was needed, his brother had that ability to tell what he was going to say before he was going to say it, saving his need to speak more than usual.

* * *

"Mikan you eat enough for four people." Kagame scolded as Mikan was busy stuffing her face with the leftovers.

"Can't help it. Good food. "She answered

"How was your day?" Kagame asked as they stood in the kitchen of their grandparents mansion. Their house was out of comission until they could get the heat back on.

"Good." She shrugged, "Would have been better if the raccoon didn't attack my head."

"Nah. That made my day." Kagame smiled

"And if haruhi hadn't chased my out of her apartment with a broom."

"Next time she should use a mop." Kagame answered, "It was time for you to spend time with us."

Mikan shuddered as the yelling reached it's peak outside the kitchen door, "Why do they travel?"

"Who knows. I'm sure they could walk to Tokyo before they relized where they were." Kagame smiled

"Mother I am more than capable of taking care of my family."

"I'm just saying your clothes mark you as a commoner."

"I do not have the need for new clothes every. I have enough, that I need to be comfortable." Natsumi replied

"Which brings me to the next point of your children attending 'public school."

Mikan didn't miss the emphasis on 'public' as Natsumi clicked her tounge and the sound of their footsteps began the other way.

"You never dealt with my boys.' She started

"Yes they take after your late husband.'  
"I was going to day dad." She answered, "But in that case I will take your compliment."

Mikan and Kagame waited a moment more as they snuck out of the kitchen.

"Have they been like that all day?" Mikan asked

"It was worse in the morning, they still had their voices." Kagame answered as they made their way to the main foyer, where her grandfather had seated his other grand children and was busy scaring the wits out of them.

He was hunched over in his chair, his fingers steepled as the fire roared behind him. His irish accent only making each word more twisted. Mikan smiled curling into a ball on the nearest couch, as the gasps and screams of her younger siblings lulled her to sleep.

Perfect ending to today.

* * *

Yeah. I was tiered when I wrote the chapter, it shows with all the hanging out, then again the day after christmas or really holiday is always like this for me and friends. Please review and you'll get a treat! Rabid raccons not welcome


	23. FML

wow extended break, big loooong break. Thanks to the loyal fans for reviewing, hitting and faving, keep it up.

* * *

"FUCK THIS!" Mikan screamed in the privacy of the rusted pick up as she held the single cup of coffee in her hand. Outside the world was a blanket of white and ice as they sat outside Haruhi's aparment complex waiting for her to come down so they could get to school. Not that Mikan was looking foreward to it as she sipped away at the coffee.

"And that darling is why you never over drink." Kagame told her, as Mikan glared from a pair of slightly blurry eyes. Last night had been a blur, something about shots, and drunk people hanging off each other.

"Fuck you." She answered as she opened the side door for Haruhi to climb in beside them.

"Morning." Haruhi greeted cheerfully as ever as Mikan threw her a glare that made her back into the corner of the seat buckling her seat belt quickly.

"Don't mind Mikan." Kagame told her with a wave of hand as she turned the engine on and pulled out onto the main road, "She just got a little to tispy."

"Slightly." Haruhi nodded. You couldn't tell by looking at the puppy who seemed just as put together as ever, except for her bleary eyes.

"I hate you Haruhi." Mikan shook her head, "You can drink three beers and still be fine. I have two shots and half a glass of saki and I'm in the can."

"Dear you had four shots and two cups of beer and some saki." Kagame corrected, "Though perhaps it wasn't the best idea to take you guys to that bar when you had school the next day."

"In America we would have had at least one day to recover." Mikan complained leaning her head back on the seat as the truck bounced along. Everything hurt and her mouth still tasted like puke so she had eaten two packs off gum and brushed her teeth every ten minutes for an hour with the taste still stuck like gun on your shoe.

Yes the perfect way to celebrate, drinking at a bar with loud rowdy people who were puking, hugging and making out.

Mikan was even less pleasant to the first of the guys to greet her, as Tamaki patted her head spinning around the warm common room that they had begun to take over before classes started for the morning. There were girls standing to the sides as always, but they were more interested in their own conversations or grabbing coffee or hot chocolate from a small café.

Only this school would have a full café serving gourmet coffee and hot chocolate in fine china in the common rooms along with their huge velvet chairs and oriental rugs.

"Fuck off." She grumbled yawning as she leaned over on to the couch as much as her skirt would allow. She had also forgotten to don a pair of shorts as she crawled from the bed like something from the dead.

"She had to much last night." Haruhi explained as Tamaki turned to ash at the sudden violence of the puppy before he nodded and took a seat at the head of the couch patting her hair.

"Poor Puppy." He sighed as she tolerated the stroking she didn't need a bunch of loud noises.

"And I have dance today, fuck my life." Mikan slurred as she grabbed a girls coffee who didn't even realize her drink was missing, taking gulps before placing the empty cup back in the olbvious girls hand as she moved on with her own friends.

"What did you do for New Years?" Haruhi asked changing the subject quickly as Tamaki beamed saying he had stayed up all night with his dog.

"You didn't go out?" She asked surprised as she sat in a chair sipping at the thermos Kagame had handed to her before she left the car, a simple fruit tea.

"I had just gotten back from Switzerland." He explained with a shrug, "To tiered and Kyoya wanted to sleep."

"How lovely." Mikan shook her head, "Fucking A and I have host club today. Christ I'm going to need more coffee."

She stumbled off the couch, clutching her head as she yawned stumbling over to the counter.

"What will you have?" The counter girl asked way to perky to be working this early. MIkan glanced up from the cold marble, "Whatever is the strongest coffee. Black."

"Sure thing.' She answered turning around. Mikan blinked and she could have sworn not five seconds later was a steaming up of black coffee next to her head. She leaned up digging some money out of her heavy winter jacket and passing it over the counter.

She turned to leave as she bumped into a girl beside as the cup dropped from her hand.

"Shit!" she muttered

"How clusmly.' The girl answered, "Of course that's all part of your act isn't it?"

"You mean part of the host club, no." Mikan answered yawning, as bent down to pick up the saucer and cup, "Sorry I spilled can I get another one."

"Of course." The nice woman answered, as she quickly pulled the cups away, "And for you, Ma'm?"

"Vanilla bean speacial blend with a shot of expresso, double shot of non fat organic skim milk, and the cream in the shape of a heart." She rambled off staring at her nails as if bored.

The woman gave a curt nod of her head and smile as she turned back.

"Seems a little much for coffee." Mikan commented, "Hey haven't I seen you in my dance class?"

"I don't think so. I'm in advanced pointe." She answered, brushing her brown hair behind her ears as she smoothed her yellow dress.

"Oh, that's right." Mikan answered drumming her nails on the counter, "The class right before. Your really good."

"Well I am the head of my class." She replied, "Are you taking private lessons to keep up with the class."

"That's right." Mikan smiled again, "I'm getting my leg back in shape from my accident."

"Yes, I heard you fell down a flight of stairs. The paper's beg to differ on the story."

"Papers?" Mikan replied, staring at her, "Papers? Oh yeah the tabloids, they said I had been shoved by an level, whole bunch of bull-"

Clatter.

"Silly me." The woman behind the counter sighed, as she picked up the saucer that had dropped on the floor.

"Anyways, are you trying out for the spring recital? Auditions are in a week." The girl smiled moving closer, "I heard you quit after your 'accident' last year as well."

"You mean I was blinded by the camera flash and I fell off the stage during rehersal then yes." Mikan answered. She didn't like this girl. She was a rival dancer, well she didn't really have rivials, but she was close enough. Her name was Mya, and she loved to get under the skin of just about everyone in the company.

"I thought you were in therapy for your break down last winter." Mikan began again, "Some thing about you getting stage fright at the last minute."

"Rumors." Mya answered with a flick of her hand, "No doubt you read about me in Dance Magazine, in their special on up and coming young dancers."

"No. I must have missed it." Mikan replied, "Oh here's my coffee."

She went to reach for her cup as Mya yanked it away first, "Ew, what's in this? Black coffee? Are you a commoner? Oh that's right, you are. I heard the host club took you in so you could afford just to get stockings."

"Just give me my coffee." Mikan answered as Mya fiddled with a packet of sugar.

"Here to get rid of the bitter taster." as she poured it in.

"Aww." Mikan smiled as she took a huge gulp of the ruined coffee, as she grabbed Mya by her shoulder and pulled her forward, "Let me thank you."

She licked the side of Mya's face who pulled away, "THAT'S SICK!"

"Puppy kiss." she answered, pushing past her sipping away at the rest of the coffee, "Oh your right, a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down."

She was happy to sipping away at her coffee, as Honey waved to her as he held his own glass of hot chocolate as Mori silent as always sat beside him. Mikan glared at them both, bastards had stolen her spot. She glanced around finally sitting on Haruhi's lap and leaning against her as if she wasn't there.

"Ah Mikan." Haruhi started as she realized they were gaining attention from the girls who were going to start gossiping any moment about some fictitious over blown relationship.

"Shut up and take it." Mikan answered with a growl drinking away her coffee as Haruhi sighed leaning back in the chair. She managed to drink most of the coffee in peace feeling slightly better as her vision began to refocus where Haruhi's legs had begun to go numb from the weight of the puppy.

"Off." Haruhi ordered finally as Mikan finally stood up and she stretched her legs. Most times she wouldn't mind it, but she didn't want to deal with cramped legs. Mikan stood instead in the middle of their circle. There was only the chair and couch in their little group and it would be to much effort to sit on the floor.

"Aww Puppy! You look like shit!" The twins greeted cheerfully as Mikan glared taking all of her will power not to dump her coffee on them. They walked in matching white pea coats, hats and gloves looking like something out of wonderland.

"And you to would like shit if I dumped this on you." She answered icily as they paused and smiled.

"Puppy can't hold her alcohal!" They teased waving her back and forth, as she continued to fume.

"Puppy going to puke." She glared as she clutched her stomach, and they stopped as they attempted to lift her up. She managed to keep her feet firmly on the floor this time.

"Quick she needs to see a doctor!" Hikaru yelled

"Kyoya!" Karou greeted as he turned around glancing at the shadow king who had conviently walked in to the common area, "Come look at you patient."

Kyoya raised one eye brow as he sipped something out of a sleek thermos as the one door shut behind him with a loud click.

"She had to much to drink last night at a bar and is now experiencing the effects of a hangover." He answered with a dignified air.

"How did you know I went to a bar?" Mikan questioned, but she didn't hear and answer as the twins took to being as loud as possible.

"SAY KAROU WHERE IS THE COFFEE!" Karou yelled to his brother

"OVER THERE!" Hikaru answered as Mikan moaned stumbling over to the couch and burying her head in between Honey and Mori as she let her arms hang limply by her sides. Where they trying to bring out her inner bitch?

"Poor puppy." Hunny patted her head as she rubbed it into the cushions.

"Time for class." Tamaki announced setting down the tea cup, "Come along subjects we cannot be late."

Mikan stood up slowly slinking over to Haruhi as she wrapped her hands around her shoulders.  
"Is it spring yet?" She mumbled as Haruhi shrugged her off.

"Not for a few more months." She answered as Mikan groaned it was an effort to get to class and she would have lain down in the hallway to avoid the endless chatter of what the hell did you do over Christmas break or what did you do on news years?

She pushed open the door as a few girls waved to her calling, "Hi puppy!"

She raised a hand to her mid section collapsing onto the desk her cup of coffee almost gone by now.

"Mikan what happened?" Yui asked her friend who seemed rather out of it with her head down on the desk and moaning, "Are you sick? Is your appendix going to explode?"

"Yes. Oh god here comes the alien babies!' Mikan screamed shoving back from her desk, "AHHHH!'

"MIKAN-SAN!"

Mikan jumped as the sensei stared at her tapping her fingers leering at her.

"If you are having stomach pains you may go to the nurse." She glared as Mikan gluped and pushed back her seat, grabbing her bag.

"Mika-"Yui started

"Silence. I will have no more antics in my class." Their sensi yelled rapping a rular against the chalkboard, as the class was utterly silent once more, "Now take out your books."

"I'm worried about Mikan." Yui muttered as she dutifully pulled around her text book and opened it up to the asssinged page.

"Why?" Rai asked glancing at her friend.

"What if her stomach bursts-"Yui started, as she grew quiet when she caught the sensi glaring at her from the front of the room.

"She left her coffee." Momo commented, "We'll take it to her."

She glanced at the sensi as she glanced over to Rai smiling, "Rai excute number 54."

Rai smiled as she leaned over to Yui, "Yui sweet heart, you know that deiase Mikan has I think you caught it. Don't you feel your stomach cramping?"

"WHAT! AHHHHH I'm GOING TO HAVE ALIEN BABIES! NOOOOOO!" Yui screamed out as she clutched her stomach, "NOOOOO!"

"YUI!" The sensi began as Rai and Momo stood up fast as lighting.

"We'll escort her to the nurse. Its her horrible stomach cramps, she could burst any moment." Rai explained quickly lifting up their bags and grabbing Mikan's coffee as they ran out of the classroom.

Yui rushed ahead of them leaving a cloud of dust and screaming about how she was going to die if she didn't see the nurse to get rid of the babies.

"I worry about her." Rai sighed as they walked along, "But she does the best sick impression."

"Very true. You think we could get out of art class." Momo asked tossing her hair as she fiddled with the clips.

"Perhaps." Rai shrugged, "We'll have to convince Yui that she not going to have alien babies."

"Where did she get that one from?" Momo asked, "Mikan must be a bad influence on her impressionable mind."

"Yes but we're out of class." Rai reminded her raising one finger as they reached the nurses office and opened the door slowly. The nurse was busy feeling Yui for a fever shaking her head as she went on and on about alien babies.

"Hello girls." She greeted, "How nice of you to bring your friends things."

"We're looking for another friend of ours." Rai explained as she set down the bags, "Mikan? She has pink hair."

"No I'm sorry, but no body with pink hair has come here today." The nurse answered ,"Arlight dear no more late night horror movies before bed. They are giving horrible ideas. Why don't you lay down for a while and try to catch a nap?"

"Okay." Yui bounced off the table.

"Yui since you'll be here you can hold on to Mikan's things. In case she shows up." Momo told her as the blonde smiled happily taking the bags. She skipped along to lay in one of the comfortable cots that the nurses station had, she liked taking naps besides.

"Come on Rai we got a friend to find." Momo whispered as they turned their own bags in tow and the half drunk cup of coffee.

* * *

Kyoya raised his head from the book he was reading in class as he narrowed his eyes and pushed up his glasses up his nose.

"Something not right." He muttered as Tamaki glanced at him.

"What?" He asked

"Something wrong. Mikan is doing something stupid or is about to do something stupid." He muttered, pushing back from his chair as simply lifted up his bag.

"Puppy?" Tamaki cocked his head as he followed, "Mother what about puppy."

"I'm not quite sure, father." Kyoya answered simply, "But I rather stop Mikan before she manages to emberess the whole host club.'

"But puppy is so sweet." He answered, "She could never do anything bad."

"Tamaki need I remind you the biting accident." Kyoya started, "The fact that she made you perform ticks on the stage."

"Well, I did steal the show.' He smoothed back his hair, "besides we all know Mikan would never do anything bad."

"I'm not so sure. I wouldn't be getting this feeling in my left hand if something wasn't about to happen." He started eyeing the halls, "Come along Tamaki we have a puppy to find."

There was a sudden high pitched whine as the speakers came on, "Ahem. Attention all students today at exactly eleven o'clock a special presentation will occur. All students are to be released from their classes one half hour before."

"Oh did you hear that Kyoya?" Tamaki asked

"Yes Tamaki. I fear that something is going to involve our puppy." Kyoya shook his head, "What time is it?"

"Umm..ten o'clock." Tamaki answered, "that gives us thirty minutes exactly."

"I am so glad you are able to keep time." Kyoya rolled his eyes. The morning had gone by very quickly.

"Hey you two! What are you doing out of class?"

Kyoya spied two girls holding their bags as a teacher began to yell at them in the hall.

"There with us." Kyoya called, "We've been excused from class. Part of the big event going on at eleven."

"Fine." The teacher called back disappearing back into class. The two girls seemed to be shocked as they whispered to each other.

"Princesses." Kyoya smiled closing the distance between them, "You are Mikan's classmates aren't you?"

"Have you seen the puppy!" Tamaki cried, "The puppy is missing!

"We know. We've been trying to find her since first period." They answered, "She wasn't feeling well in class and had to be excused to the nurse."

"I'll alert the troops." Tamaki started whipping out his phone, "Kyoya you talk with these lovely princesses."

Kyoya shook his head, "Yes Tamaki. Go do what you think is nesscessary."

"We tried to find her." They began again twirling their hair and looking woridly, "We even kept her coffee in case we found her."

* * *

"Why are we here?" the twins asked bored.

They now had ten minutes to locate Mikan and so far Kyoya's search had not come up with anything remotely useful.

"Oh the fact that if Mikan is icrimanted in any unlawful activties, that it could mean her expulsion not to mention bad press for the host club which would result in the disgrace of all memerbers." Kyoya said calmly as the Twins gulped. When Kyoya got his scary look all the host club members where on edge more than usual.

"Ahh Haruhi save us!' They yelled

"What! No. No.' Haruhi shook her head no, as she too felt her hair stand on end. Mikan she was sure had probably fallen asleep on a couch or was annoying some group of poor unsuspecting students.

"Kyoya what if we can't find her! What if she's dead?" Hunny began to cry

Mori patted his head as if to reassure him.

"We have nine minutes." Kyoya sighed. He thought it would eaiser than this, as it struck him, "Tamaki did we check to see if the school had any events sechluded today?"

Tamaki snapped his fingers as an older woman appeared with a pad and a piece of paper, "Well I have to get my hair touched up after school, oh and I apparently have to get a flea bath."

"Milord, turn over." THe twins noted, seeing it was a dog's intinerray.

"Oh. Emm, no." Tamaki shook his head, as Haruhi stared after the woman who seemed to have appeared from no where.

"Then who had acess to the school mike system?" Kyoya asked

"They wouldn't need direct acess." Hunny began, "The school mic system can be controlled either in the theatere of the front office. So if you were in the theatre you could make an annoucment, they do it when the school puts on big productions."

There was a silence.

"I used to take theatre." Hunny answered quietly with a smile as he held the bunny.

"The twins to the theatre, Tamaki and I will go to the front office, Hunny and Mori-" Kyoya paused

"We'll go to the front lobby." Hunny answered, "There's another door that leads directly to the theatre."

"But-" Haruhi began as they left her standing alone, "What do I do?"

Her voice echoed around her as she picked up her bag and started down the hall. She just had to avoid being caught for another eight minutes. She paused as she heard a high pitched giggling.

"This is a going to be amazing." A brunet girl was talking on her cell phone, "No she thinks she's in a show. I know with any luck she'll break a leg. No. She's so easily influenced."

"Uh excuse me." Haruhi began.

The girl paused eyeing her, "Yeah?"

"I heard about this big event. Do you know what it is?"

"No."

"Then why were you talking about something as if you know something is going to happen." Haruhi asked

"Whatever." The girl huffed eyeing her as her lips scrunched, "Are you her boyfriend? I knew she would go for the weak ones."

"What?" Haruhi asked, "Who are you talking about?"

The girl paused, and then smiled, "Oh nothing. Nothing. Actually we been planning this for a while, even since that weird pink headed freak came back to this school. You in the theatre aren't you? You seen her, how she struts around like she's all that, she's already in the most exclusive club at the school. I know what she's doing, stealing patrons, securing her place."

"But I don't understand." Haruhi began as the brunet laughed playing with her string of pearls.

"You don't need to." She answered almost cryptically walking away. Haruhi glanced at her phone three minutes as her stomach growled. She needed food.

She pushed the girl from her mind , she was a little strange, but she was used to the rich waging their own private battles. She didn't quite understand it, but she heard plenty of drama and grief from the girls. About family ties, and family struggles, about who was going to marry who, who was mad at who and why.

Then it began a soft lyrical music played in the air. It started slow and then gathered up speed.

"What is that?" Someone yelled from the hall. Haruhi glanced around as the music only grew louder and the students rushed from their class rooms and soon the halls were flooded with students quietly murmuring.

"HEY! THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL!"

Haruhi felt herself being carried along the wave of students, as they rushed to the stairs, the music had only grown louder.

"WHERE'S IT HAPPENING!"

"I HEARD THE MAIN LOBBY!"

"NO THE STAIR CASE!"

"NOT THE STAIR CASE!"

"HARUHI!"

She turned as she found herself being lifted up by one arm as the twins waved, "Did you miss us?"

"Maybe." she began, "What's going on?"

"Mikan-well you have to see for yourself." They offered as they rushed around the crowds dragging her forward. They were standing on the second flood as she stared down at the gathering mass of students that had separated themselves on either side as if watching a performance.

"What is this?" Haruhi asked

"We're not sure." The twins shrugged, "But its going to be amusing."

"Where's MIkan?"

"Oh well Tamaki spotted her in a costume humming to herself in the hall. She was in a trance, and he began to scream that she had been cursed by the dark magic club." They shrugged, "We're not sure."

"How did you find me?'

"You smell of commoner." They explained

"Thanks." Haruhi slapped a hand to her face, "Thanks a lot."

"Lets move to the floor. I want to see her!" Hikaru complained as they drifted down the masses of students. Haruhi spied the head master sitting somewhere over to the side with what looked like important clients.

"Why is the head master here?"

"Oh he was giving tour." They shrugged, "But Tamaki stopped him and bowed and did what Tamaki does best, be a babbling idiot."

"Ah." She nodded as she watched the students grow quiet, the music had stopped and then it began again. Students well they were dressed in their uniforms but their shoes betrayed them as dancers began to descend from the crowds, down the stair case. They were graceful, knowing each turn, each step, in their lifts, their bows, their positions. They seemed to sparkle in the light of the room, the girls hair falling all over the place as the boys seemed to reach new heights with their leaps.

They were every where on the lobby on the top floor on the stair case, keeping a hole in the center.

"Are they dancing?" She asked

"Shh!' The twins hissed, "This is interesting."

"What does Tamaki think of all this?" She asked.

Karou pulled out his phone, "Read for yourself."

She read the text, AHHH! WHAT IS PUPPY DOING!

"Umm I'm guessing he knows?" She asked

"They're trying to get to her." Hikaru shrugged pointing above as a Tamaki with his frantically waving arms as Kyoya piled through the sitting and standing crowd.

"And then there's Hunny-"

She watched the little boy as he was thrown high into the air by one of the dancers as Mori chased after him forced to lift girl dancers. He seemed to be wanting to stand still as he easily lifted up the girls. They seemed to be doing some well planned choreographed work.

"I don't get it." She began, "Is this planned?"

"Oh no you missed it." The twins answered, "There was a dramatic chase and everything. A cloaked figure had MIkan by the arm and was leading her around. They kept saying something to her and then Mori was like a strong man and managed to catch MIkan. She did this five foot leap out of his arms and skipped off."

Haruhi blinked at them as they continued their tale, "So after Tamaki swung across the curtain did they manage to pin down whoever it was?"

"No. They disappeared." The twins shrugged, "And Kyoya ordered that we chase after Mikan, well that was boring and puppy is only good to us if she is being interesting."

"You're bored then and you aren't daunted by the fact that Mikan could be expelled."

"Lies. "The twins rolled their eyes.

"Lies." Haruhi repeated as she spotted what everyone had been gasping at as she felt herself stand up and scream, "Mikan! No!'

The music had reached a crescendo as the entire room held its breath. Haruhi shut her eyes, as there was a sudden up roar of applause as she felt her heart beat again.

"Mikan!" the twins were already pulling her and running forward to were a tiered Mori held the girl in the lift with her leg extended above her head as her arms reached up as well before she dropped into his arms, with the final note. The other dancers held their poses and then dropped into bows. Mikan was the only in an actual costume, a glittery mess of a tutu, with red and yellow so she stood out with her clashing pink hair. She didn't seemed to be able to aware of anything that was going on though as if she was lost.

There was a silence and than an up roar of applause.

"Mikan! Puppy! Mikan! Puppy!" the chant echoed around the halls, "Mikan! Puppy! Mikan! Puppy!"

Haruhi when they got close enough saw that Mikan's face was a pasty pale, her cheeks red and her breath shallow.

"She's really sick." Haruhi started, as Mori moved her into his arms running forward away from the crowds with Hunny at his side.

"What's wrong with puppy?" The twins started

Haruhi ignored them running after Mori.

* * *

wow, a cliffhanger. That's unlikely for this story. i hope it wasn't confusing! I left out a lot of technical terms for the dance, to much detail. I hope the chapter was up to everyone's expectations. More to come, as I follow this story arch, and then continue on with the manga. I think Renge comes in next. Huzzah!


	24. Recovery and Discoveries

Hi guys! Yeah another update! Yes I know it's been only a week, but since I got lots of nice reviews and I'm sure people want to know what happened I give you this. The dramatic story arc continues! Fear me!

Enjoy! Please read!

* * *

There was a quiet in the nurses room as Mikan's shallow breathing could be heard behind the curtain. Haruhi had been sitting in the chair for three hours now, waiting to hear the answer of her condition.

There had been debate of taking her to the hospital, but the school had a host of doctor's not to mention Kyoya who seemed to know what he was doing when he looked over her.

"Puppy was taking drugs?" Tamaki started

"Drugs?" Hunny asked

"It would not be unusual for dancers-"Kyoya started

"Shut up." Haruhi mumbled turning at them, "Mikan is sick in a bed and you think that she's taking drugs. We have been with her three months now and she's never showed anything now. We should be supporting her not spreading more rumors."

There was a silence as Tamaki began to sob running into the corner, "AHHH! We've shamed ourselves talking about the puppy! Ahhhhhhh!"

"Father." Kyoya shook his head, "Haruhi we support our puppy no matter what, don't worry. She's been given something, her body not used to it and she'll flush it out."

Haruhi stared at Mikan, that didn't seem like she would just flush it out. She had been in a deep sleep as the nurse gave her a sedative when they found she had a raging fever and an aching body. She hadn't stretched any of her muscles and the strain on her legs had almost caused them to snap.

Yui slurped her glass of water, "Don't worry Haruhi. Mikan will be good."

Haruhi glanced at the blonde, "Yeah. I know. I worry about her. Why would someone give her drugs?'

"Oh Mikan once explained about the cut throat world of dancers." Yui shrugged, "They fight tooth and nails for leads and stuff."

Haruhi couldn't imagine it, feeding someone drugs. This went way over, Mikan could have been seriously hurt, never dance again, but then again who ever did it would probably be glad. There was a lot more to the puppy than what they knew.

The twins had been quiet taking turns poking the puppy in the side, as if trying to get her to wake up. They felt guilty, really guilty and they weren't even so why.

"Puppy." They mumbled, "Puppy wake up. We got you a chew toy."

They held up a green ball, squeezing it twice, "Wake up puppy! Please!"

"Hikaru! Karou! Leave the puppy alone!" Tamaki called, "She needs sleep not you giving her nightmares."

"Milord we give her only peaceful dreams. " The twins answered crossing their arms, but they left as Haruhi moved in to sit next to Mikan.

"Hey Tamaki did anyone called her family?"

"No." Tamaki started as Haruhi slapped a hand to her face as she grumbled about the rich. Yui came and stood beside her as she patted her shoulder.

"Where are the other two?"

"They have stuff after school." Yui began.

"You don't?"

Yui looked away, "No. Not really."

"Oh. I just have homework." Haruhi answered rubbing the back of her head. Yui didn't seem to blush when she was around her, but she seemed to favor Tamaki and Kyoya. She was quiet, and not as air headed as she acted around her other friends.

"So what do your parents do?"

"Oh trades." She answered quickly, "Well my mother deals fabric and my father enjoys traveling finding rare orchids."

"Oh." Haruhi nodded, "Why do you always choose me?"

"My friends." She shrugged, "We are always around each other."

"How long have you known Mikan?" Haruhi offered as Yui pulled up a chair.

"Oh we met in class on her first day. She had no idea what the host club was." Yui giggled as she glanced past the corner quickly turning away.

"You like the others?"

"Oh not like I don't like you." She answered, "I mean not like that, I like sitting with you, but Tamaki-"

"He is very good looking." She answered with a nod, "It's not surprising. Why don't you sit with him?"

"My friends." She answered, "It's easier to just be with people who get you. Boys can be difficult to read, especially these boys at school. They all want the girls with the biggest purses, so they can pay for themselves. They're up in the clouds about our relationships, and I'm expected just to play to what they want. I mean everyone thinks I'm shy, but it's just that I'm sick of making out and then getting dropped the next day."

Haruhi paused, "That's okay. I'm sure some boys feel the same way."

"Yeah boys like you." Yui smiled and then giggled again clearing her throat, "She was drinking coffee, she started to feel sick in her stomach."

Haruhi glanced at Mikan, "Do you have a cell phone?"

"I called her sister. She was busy and her mom is out." Yui answered, "We're all she has for now."

Haruhi laughed, as she glanced out at the boys who were talking quietly to themselves.

"I think she's got plenty." She answered

Yui giggled again, "I'm sure. She's so lucky. THe whole school was screaming her name at her performance."

"I don't think she knew what she was doing." Haruhi warned, "Did you see her?"

"Yeah." Yui nodded, "It's the coffee. I'm not sure why, but it was only after she drank it she started acting weird, you know Mikan weird."

"So someone put something in her coffee." Haruhi muttered to herself.

"I think they figured it was some kind of drug, but who would want to drug her? Mikan never talked about dance, never mentioned anyone-"

"Why would she?' She asked

"You don't know. Mikan is on the fast track to becoming a prima donna, she trained herself before she came to Ouran, you know workshops-"

"I though she didn't talk about dance." Haruhi started

"Well she didn't talk about it, but her sister Kagame did and her sister Ayumi, and not mention all the articles her mom had about her preformances at competitions." Yui explained

"You go to her house often?" Haruhi asked

"As much as I can." Yui answered

"You don't like to be home." Haruhi started

Yui looked away as Mikan gave a snort and a cough.

"Is she okay?" Yui started

"I think she's about to throw up." Haruhi answered sitting Mikan up as she suddenly puked all over her sheets.

"Oh gross." Yui gather her friends hair as she puked again and again and again, "Nurse! Nurse!"

The brunet rushed in as she stripped the sheets, "You support her, you get me a bowl."

"What's happening?" Haruhi asked as Mikan stayed asleep.

"She's reacting to whatever is in her system." She answered, "Here's the bowl."

Yui placed it in front as the vomit kept coming up. Haruhi turned away as she saw Tamaki turning green.

"What's wrong with the puppy?" He asked

"She has an upset stomach. I think it best we move her to hospital." Kyoya offered

"We'll wait." She answered, "I want to see if she spits up blood."

"Blood?" Yui asked.

"AHHHH! PUPPY IS GOING TO BLEED OUT!" Tamaki began to scream..

"WAH! MIKA CHAN IS GOING TO DIE!" Hunny screamed as Mori watched him run around his leg as he stopped him and simply shook his head.

"Calm down." The nurse ordered, "All of you except those two out. You are causing more stress than help."

"What can I get on her condition? Food poisoning? Or excessive alcholic intake combined with whatever is in the coffee?" Kyoya began

The nurse stared at him, "Since you are not a doctor nothing. You may leave with your friends and I will wait for the doctor to come look her over."

"I'm right." He smiled.

The nurse rolled her eyes, "Yes, you are right. Now please leave and take your friends-" She pointed to the panicking bunch as they screamed in circles, "Before they wake up her."

"Ah yes." He gave a slight bow, "Father come along."

"No mother! No mother! Don't make me !" Tamaki cried as Kyoya opened the doors to the hoards of girls holding flowers, "Hikaru! Karou!"

"Yes shadow king?" They asked, "Ah crowd control. Ladies, ladies all gifts can be left in our club room. The puppy is doing just fine."

There was an over whelming babble.

"Mori and Hunny watch the door please." Kyoya ordered as he cleared his throat, "The puppy is recovering. We will perform this the same when she suffered a tea spill, all gifts, well wishes can be made in the form donations to the theatre and the host club. Flowers are welcomed as well as cards."

"Theatre?" Tamaki asked

"We can't take it all, it will make us look bad." Kyoya explained quickly and quietly, "Please to the club room."

The mass of yellow quickly shifted in a slow steady movement as Kyoya looked surprised as the amount of boys that followed carrying their own bouqets as he smiled.

"Tamaki our puppy has admirers." He commented

"What?' Tamaki asked, "lies. Our puppy is cute, but that is it. Nothing more."

"That's right." Kyoya patted his shoulder, "No one likes puppy" as the figures began to turn in his head.

"So who had it in for Mikan?" Tamaki asked, "A radical group of ex dancers, some hate group of her mother's book list-"

"No." Kyoya answered,"Tamaki your efforts would be best geared to not worrying our lovely costumers that someone is trying to kill the puppy."

"But they cursed her, I blame the black magic club." Tamaki made a pair of shifty eyes.

"Yes if you can get close enough to interview the head of the black magic club I encourage you." He answered

Tamaki look like a wounded animal at the sheer mention of it.

"That's what I though, Tamaki, we need to concentrate on crowd control and the twins not spreading horrible rumors about Mikan's condition and that would be her sister." He glanced at his cell phone, "Off you go Tamaki."

The blonde king glanced once at the shadow king then smiled, walking behind the girls who making a slow stream in and out of the club room as the twins stood by the doors ushering them in.

"Remember nothing is wrong with the puppy!" Tamaki warned them in a hiss.

"Besides she's throwing up her guts." The twins chimed as the girls gasped and went in, "Oh and that's she's bleeding, probably won't dance again."

The girls were in hysterics now, running around the room as the rumors flew and cellphones tpyed.

"We love us." They high fived as Tamaki fumed.

Kyoya watched from a far shaking his head as he entered a closed room, "Kagame."

"Why am I getting thirty different message from girls that Mikan is either dying of a parasite in her stomach or she has the flu. And what is this I'm getting that she swung on a wire and leaped into Mori's arm in a skimpy costume after organizing a performance. Explain now."

Kyoya sighed, "We think she was drugged in the coffee. We chased her, she was tugged off by a figure in a cloak, somebody hired, paid or black mailed, and she made to believe that she was in a performance."

"So someone put her in immediate danger because of dance and now she deadly sick?"

Kyoya could sense the edge in her voice, "I think a girl might have drugged expecting that Mikan would make a fool out of herself as she arranged for the school to be called together. From what you tell of me your sister she is accomplished at dance, and the times you've caught her sleep walking she was performing solo's from swan lake in her pointe shoes. My guess Mikan reverted to what she knew."

"And danced a part from memory." She answered

"Yes. She thought she was on stage."

"She was transported to a year ago, before she fell off the stage. She was so happy on that stage, she was going to Julliard." Kagame began, "And then her accident, it was hell Kyoya."

"I can imagine." He answered

"No you can't imagine. You can't imagine having to hold her when her ankle was snapped in a hospital bed, you didn't have to tell her she would dance again even after her injury, even after all she worked for, even when her hopes were dashed away." Kagame hissed, "And then this. I hate this sport, she should have stayed with riding, we don't kill each other if we are in a show, we kill the horse which is worse, but god damnit Kyoya. Find who did it and I won't their ass on a plate.'

"Kagame, it was a prank gone wrong. Mikan has gained more popularity in last hour than Tamaki gained by starting the club."

"Is that supposed to be comfort?"

He could hear the obvious relief in his voice, "Yes, because what ever girl planned it, has had to watch everything back fire."

"That does help, god I hope the little bitch has to suck it up and get it rubbed in her face by her suck up little friends. I swear there will be more articles than she can shake stick act." Kagame was going on a rant now.

"Kagame. Stop. Mikan will be fine. She probably did not each much, to much to drink, hangover, mixed with whatever this girl gave her made her stomach churn, mixed with over extending her body without stretching, warming up, equals horrible horrible outcome. We tried to stop them, but Mikan had a mind of her own."

"Yeah." Kagame yawned, "Last time I let her drink and take drugs."

"Not going to even ask Kagame." He shook his head, "Where are you?"

"Turn around."

He glanced behind him as she waved in nothing more than a closed trench coat a pair of black boots.

"Your crazy." He muttered

"What?' She cocked her head, "Too much?"

"What are you dressed in?" He asked, "You look like a low class hooker."

"Oh Kyoya stop you flatter me." She answered as she unbuttoned her jacket as she opened it up. He covered his eyes.

"I'm wearing clothes." She answered as she showed off the dress. Well he wouldn't call it a dress, more like a skimpy piece of cloth that clung to her curves. He slapped himself and moved up his glasses.

"Again why are you dressed like that?"

"I was modeling." She shrugged, "My friend was doing a project where he had to portray whores in a classy way."

"Right." He nodded, "For a magazine."

"You know don't you?" She asked

"Yes." He answered, "I keep tabs on my friends, yes I think that's what I call them."

"Only you would be a stalker." Kagame turned, "So where is the little sick puppy?"

Kyoya moved quickly after her but Kagame had already made her way over to the twins who were still standing outside the club room, where she tossed of her jacket and un did her dark hair so it cascaded around her shoulder.

"Was that Mikan's sister?" Hikaru asked following her swaying hips.

"What?" Karou asked him, "Are you staring?"

"What's not to look at?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, as Kyoya pushed past them.

"Tamaki." Kagame greeted as the girls in yellow stared, "Did you miss me?"

"Do I know you-" Tamaki began as she grabbed his arms and put his hand on her butt, as she played with his hair.

"Aww Tamaki. You don't remember our long weekend." She cocked her head.

"Kagame." Kyoya cleared his throat.

"Ha! I'm an actress ladies! Hollywood! California! America!" Kagame yelled as she shoved Tamaki to the side , "No worries. I was praticing for a new movie part."

The girls in yellow cooed and went back to their conversations turning to each other, about how lucky the host club king was.

"How was that?" Kagame asked as Tamaki melted into the floor.

"Okay."

"Oh and who is the lovely lady." The twins started circling as Kagame raised an eye brow and grabbed their ears.

"I heard all the rumors boys. Don't think I don't know you. We ate dinner together just last week, unless you weren't paying attention."

"Ow. Please let us go oh goddess of the days!" They begged as she dropped them.

She glanced around and clapped her hands, "LADIES! ATTENTION! CLEAR OUT! THIS ROOM IS BEING USED FOR HOST CLUB PRIVATE REASON! IT IS APART OF A INVESTIAGATION PLEASE CLEAR OUT!"

"You're going to make them gossip more." The twins started, but the girls quickly drifted out, as they clapped, "Amazing Kagame skills."

"Thank you. Thank you." She bowed, "Alright I want a table, I want a map of the school and I want a list of the girls who are in the theatre company. Go fetch puppies."

The twins glared but jogged off.

"We aren't Puppies." They called

"Yes you are, very un behaved puppies." She answered

"You too Tamaki." She demanded, as she waved a hand, "I need you to use your Clarence, to get me those names. Go on." Tamaki bowed and ran off screaming something about, "We will find them! Yes! Let us start with the usual suspect."

"Not the black club." The twin's yell echoed through out the halls.

Kyoya clapped his hands, "That was amazing."

"I know." She crossed her arms, "So what happened?"

* * *

Mikan blinked open her eyes as she coughed, "Why does my mouth taste of puke?"

"Here, rinse. The acid will rot your teeth." The nurse handed her a cup and a bowl of her puke.

"I threw all that up?" she asked after as she spit into the bowl, "What the hell happened?"

"You became a star for five minutes in this school." She answered, "Your fever broke, how convient, how are your legs?'

"Sore. What do you mean?"

"You were drugged, and then convinced yourself that you were in a ballet. And over extended every muscle, and have been puking into a bowl for the last two hours." The nurse explained, "Unconscious into a bowl."

"Ew." Mikan handed it back to her as she walked away.

"Hi Mikan." Yui waved as she popped her head in, "How are you feeling?'

"Yui? Oh I'm better." She answered, "I heard I made a fool of myself."

"Oh no you were amazing. I has photos." Yui handed her the small camera, "See there you are-"

"I'M LEAPING!" she demanded, "I didn't stretch. I didn't have any warm up, I could have broken a leg!"

"But you were amazing and the Mori lifted you!"

'Mori! Mori! He didn't!"

"Yes he did.' She answered flipping to another picture, "And this is where you were really sick."

"Oh my god." Mikan looked horrified. I like the costume, it looks like from the production of firebird-"

'What?" Yui asked

"Firebird was the last solo performance I gave." Mikan explained

"Oh." Yui grew quiet, "I remember the pictures.'

"Yeah before the accident. Yui who would drug me? I don't try and make any one hate me do I?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Okay." Mikan sighed, "still got that toothpaste and toothbrush on you."

"Always." Yui answered

"Hi MIkan." Haruhi waved, "You seem better."

"I am for now." she explained as she began to brush her teeth.

"Where'd you-"

"Me." Yui raised a hand, "We have your coffee still."

"That would be mine."

They turned.

"Hi Kagame.' Yui waved

"Hi blondie!" She waved, "Hey Haruhi. Mikan you look like shit."

"Thanks sister." She answered, crossing her arms, "Why do you like a hooker?'

"Easier to pick up rich dads." She shook her head, "Come on get up and move around, you smell like puke, they have shower you know."

"Alright." Mikan moaned as Yui helped her up.

"Look at that good friend. Haruhi don't you get in the showers with them." Kagame warned walking away with the coffee cup.

"I won't." Haruhi blinked as Yui helped Mikan up.

"Might as well as dumped a bucket of water on her." The nurse warned, "Here febreeze."

"Thanks." Mikan raised a brow.

"You smell, go take a shower." The nurse crossed her arms, "Go on."

"We'll take her." Haruhi walked away. The halls were quiet now as Mikan began to ask questions.

"So what happened? I don't remember anything, not after I left the class room."Mikan began running a hand through her tangled mess of pink hair, "Ew I think there are chucks in the ends."

Haruhi looked a little pale as she walked a little further away as Yui moved her hand down to her arm.

"Nice Mikan." Yui laughed

"Where are thing one and thing two?" MIkan asked as she caught Yui's confused glance, "Momo and Rai."

"They had stuff." Yui shrugged, "I didn't want to go home."

"Are you having dinner with us again?" Mikan asked half offered to the blonde.

"No. My father should be home and my mother will have brought some guest from Paris or Rio." Yui began,"Thanks. I'm sure you don't have much of an appetite."

"No." Mikan answered, "I'm sure Kagame already called the studio that I wouldn't be at dance and my instructor knows why I didn't come to class today."

"The whole school knows." Yui began again, "I mean everyone chanted your name at the end, and the whole theatre came out to participate in the dance. It's like they've been planning it."

"Mikan! Hey!'

Mikan glanced at the girl in tights and the skirt as she watched, dumbly.

"Why didn't you say hi?" Haruhi asked

"That the senior principal dancer for the school's company." Mikan answered, "She's more exclusive than a thing of lemons."

"Ohhh Mikan's popular." Yui teased

"Oh please no." Mikan shook her head, "I don't do popular. She has fifty people at least watching her even when she's practicing. I like dancing alone, I get stared at enough by

my instructor and the audience."

"You don't like crowds?" Haruhi started

"No. It's this weird dance mentality." Mikan offered, "It's like when I'm on stage I dance because I'm giving something to the audience, when I'm practicing its for my self only."

"That kinda makes sense." Haruhi rubbed the back of her head, "Why are all these people dressed like there's a class going on?"

"Oh, no." Mikan moaned, "Solo try outs are today, and all principal parts. You got to be kidding me. I knew this day was important."

"They have try out's on New Year's Day." Haruhi asked

"Most dancers are smart enough to eat before they go drinking." Mikan answered, "And even then they are aloud to skip classes to sober up for the end of the day. That's why everyone came out for what ever stunt I pulled. They thought it was part of the try outs."

"So what does this mean?" Yui asked as they made their way around the group of dancers.

"No chance at a solo." Mikan answered as she hurried on. There were more calls to her and some laughs, but by now they either knew that she hadn't put it on or they all thought she was guaranteed a part.

"Hey Mikan I heard your going to be dancing again. On the stage this time."

She paused as she glared at the brunet, and smiled, "And I heard you might actually get a part, now that your butts not to big."

The girl's smile flattered, "Everyone knows you put this on to get the lead."

"Yeah. And everyone knows about last springs mishap at the New York conference." Mikan answered

"Mikan." Haruhi prodded her in the side as Yui threw her a worried glance and a shake of the head.

"Hey ladies, ladies." A tall black haired boy strode over like a gazelle,"What's the problem?"

"Nothing Jin." Mikan was the first to answer smiling.

"Yeah I was just putting her in her place."

"Oh please Anzu, you may have a higher position besides the chorus line, but don't think for a moment you can put me in any place. I am at least something more than a one trick pony.' Mikan snapped

Anzu bowed her head embarrassed as she walked back over to the hustle of girls.

"You should watch yourself." Jin began

"Don't you start." Mikan glared at him, "I've been taking shit from everyone, about my accidents, my legs, I do not need any more. Oh yeah this Haruhi, you know from the host club and this is Yui, you met her at the dinner party."

"Jin." The boy waved, "Me and Mikan danced together in New York.'

"What does that mean?" Yui asked

"When I got to these conferences and gatherings, I have to perform, and we get assigned partners. I was looking into dance schools, and I found out about Ouran from Jin." Mikan explained, "He's a junior and a principal lead."

"Oh stop. Just because I can do lifts better than anyone else, is the only reason I get the leads."

"And your fancy foot work."Mikan cocked her head, raising an eyebrow, "What are they saying?"

"That you planned the whole thing, just as you thought.' He offered with a shrug, "Half of them don't care, and the other half are more worried about trails. The whole thing will simmer over when they learn the lead is open."

"Okay." She answered looking down at the floor as if in deep though.

"Mikan, take care." Jin told her as he moved away back to the other dancers as the three moved on.

"I never knew there was so much drama in ballet." Haruhi commented

"Yeah. It's kind of sad." Mikan shook her head, "Everyone get's caught up in parts and leads, because it's the only way to guarantee a secure place in the company. Ouran works with five main female leads, and four male leads. They dance all the principal parts, like the main characters, they get the best solo and the most stage time. In a big company there is maybe one or two main dancers for the whole company and they dance every main part. Then there's the chorus, minor parts, minor solo's, soloist's, background."

"Too much! Too much!" Yui screamed, "Ahh my head hurts.'

"Sorry Yui. Dance is complicated.' Mikan began, "And of course on top of all that lots of cat fights and girls like Anzu who think because they've been the company so long that they have seniority over the younger dancers. They do in some ways, but it's really about your skills."

"Jin seems nice." Haruhi offered

"He is." She answered as her eyes grew distant and Yui began to hum to herself.

They reached the showers with no more accidents as Mikan left with Yui to go wash her hair of vomit chunks.

Haruhi still felt sick every time she head that. She opted to wait outside the locker rooms. School had been over for at least an hour now, and she needed to get home after all the excitement she still had dinner to make and homework that was due.

She glanced to her left as the brunet who had been talking about the big surprise and the freak early on was walking by herself again.  
"I can't believe it didn't work. We need a more drastic attempt to ruin her."

"Excuse me, but you are in a public place, it's rude to talk so loudly." Haruhi called to her.

"You." She snapped her phone shut, "You look familiar."

"I think I've seen you at the host club you are one of Mori-san's regulars." Haruhi offered

"Oh your Haruhi." Her demeanor changed completely, "Did you see that girl who threw herself into his arms?"

"The puppy yes." Haruhi answered, "She got very sick today. Very sick, she almost had to go to the hospital.'

"That is to bad. 'The girl glanced at her hand, "To bad she didn't break a leg."

"She would have kept dancing." Haruhi answered calmly

The girl seemed put off, as she adjusted her short brown hair ,"Really."

Haruhi continued, "Yes. She's doing much better now. Are you a dancer as well?"

"No." The girl answered, "I'm a performer an artist."

"Ah." Haruhi nodded not seeing the difference, but dancer's seemed to be a touchy bunch. She let it slide, "Are you trying out?"

"No need." She shrugged," I'm always guaranteed a place in every production."

"That's nice." Haruhi nodded as the girl sauntered over in her yellow dress crossing her legs and leaning in.

"Can you keep a secret Haruhi?" She asked

"Ah." Haruhi started staring at her, "I suppose."

"Your puppy is going to find herself kicked out of dance. The headmistress says that she's been missing too much class and her stunt today in front of the patrons made everyone very angry. She disrupted classes."

"Ah." Haruhi crossed her hands over her chest, "I'm sure she'll be okay. She does perform outside of the school."

"She won't get anywhere without Ouran." The girl stood up stamping foot and walking on down the hall.

"Strange." Haruhi sighed glancing at the ceiling.

* * *

wow, a cliffhanger. That's unlikely for this story. i hope it wasn't confusing! Huzzah Yui isn't just a dumb blonde, she has thoughts! thoughts! scary....and more characters! I love backstory, I dont think the manga give enough credit to all the characters and give them a more roundness besides Tamaki and the twins and Haruhi.

Poor Mikan she can't catch a break with rivals and old (cough) flames (cough) (cough)

I'm accepting guesses at who dun it.

Please review and review, and review, and fav and or alert.


	25. Behind the Tutus

Hi guys! Yeah another update! Yes I know it's been what two days, but since I got lots of nice reviews and I'm sure people want to know what happened I give you this. The dramatic story arc continues! Fear me!

Enjoy! Please read!

* * *

Chapter Twenty Five: Behind the Tutu's

Kyoya really wanted to know how the hell Kagame had talked him into this. He was better at performing quiet inspections, on his computer.

"Kyoya I never knew how freeing tights were!" Tamaki yelled as he pranced around in the pair of black tights and ballet shoes.

Kyoya sighed, "Again Tamaki what grand scheme have you concocted?"

"It's quite simple. No one can resist my charm, and so I will take part in these dance trials. I assume they are some kind of sacred rites for the dancers, and from them I can find who would dare to hurt puppy. "

"Yes but why do you need to dress as a dancer?" Kyoya questioned shuddering at the ensemble.

Tamaki glanced at his legs as he ran a hand through his golden hair, "Kyoya I must blend. Blend. And in order to blend I must become the dancer.'

"Than why are the twins dressed in tutu's and buns." Kyoya glanced at the twins.

"Surprisngly comfortable." The twins waved as they praticed and marked a few steps in the flat ballet shoes. They had apparently raided the costumer department for their outfits.

"Well there were only three open slots." Tamaki shrugged, "And one was for a male lead and the other two were for female."

"Again where did you come up with this?" Kyoya asked, "You will disgrace your family name."

"No we won't."The twins called as they stretched their legs, "We're used to dresses."  
Kyoya pushed up his glasses as he glared at Kagame who was hanging off the arms of a boy in a top hat and pair of glasses with wild green hair.

"You can thank Choki here." Kagame thumbed her friend in the chest.

"Ah anything for the host club." Choki shrugged, as he tipped his hat, "Anything else goddess?"

"No. No. No. That's it." Kagame replied with a wave of her hand as Choki gave another bow and walked back down the hall with the excess clothes. She stared after him shaking her head, "Crazy boy. Now then, you know how these trials work? The human sacrifice is chosen for theater and the high priest says the sacred rights.

After which the holy ballet shoe is passed around and each dancer must cut open their feet to lay down their blood as an offering-"

"Kagame." Kyoya warned

"We know." The twins crossed their arms, "We studied dance before you."

"You did not." Kagame answered, "Did they?"

"Their mother had them enrolled as an attempt to make them more graceful if they ever decided to take to the runway." Kyoya explained, "If any of you embarrass the host club-"

He gave a glare as the sheen came to him glasses and the three cowered together.

"To the stage." Tamaki called skipping off as the twins followed holding hands.

"If this works-"He began.

"We'll know who Mikan's pranker is." Kagame finished, "Nah. I just wanted to see if Tamaki could dance. We're going to head to the backstage, and check who was in the free for all and who had heard anything. Hopefully Tamaki will cause enough of a stir to distract everyone else."

"You're enjoying this."

"It was either this or daytime TV." Kagame shrugged

"Why aren't you in a University?" He began

"School isn't for me." She answered, "I got through maybe a year and hated it. Loathed it. Crushed my creative free spirit. I do a lot of baking, part time catering gig, it's fun."

"You could always open up a store, your mother has the money." Kyoya began

"Where not that rich!" Kagame looked affronted, "Plus eleven horses to look after, two destructiveve twins, a shoe addict sister, and a danger prone primma Donna. Hell no."

"Your mother's book tour is not going well?

"Not going well. The woman is never home. I had to leave a message about Mikan which she'll probably answer in three days her inbox is so flooded."

She paused and continued, "Thanks for trying to stop Mikan. Means a lot to me."

"She's an asset." Kyoya answered, "A costly asset, but an asset. My assumptions are that she's managed to generate a three figure revenue and donations from well wishers."

"There were boys?" Kagame began, "I saw them don't act like you didn't."

"Yes, the boys left flowers. The girls purchased half of our fine china." Kyoya answered smirking

"You played to the rumor that Mikan wasn't going to be well." Kagame crossed her arms.

"Yes. You would be surprised at how well profits go up when they are dead or almost dead." Kyoya explained, "And since Mikan serves tea we offered priceless cups that she had served as the puppy."

"Only you." Kagame shook her head, "Only you. Please tell me you are working on something better."

"We are." Kyoya started, "It's hard to price merchandise. We cater to girls, and girls don't want see Mikan in the same way of boys."

"Yeah to bad it's not a bunch of boys wanting stuff of Mikan. You would have enough material for a sexy action packed drama to last through five mangas." Kagame waved a hand.

Kyoya gave a small smiled, "Indeed."

* * *

The twins were used to being the center of attention so the fact they were not made their blood boil.

They glanced at the other girls in there smalls groups with a few of these groups gathered around one dancer.

"What's so special about them?" They asked aloud as there was a sudden silence. The girl with blonde curls stood up and made her way to them. She was not very tall, with a long slender figure that resembled a well worn stick.

"Can I help you?" She began, "And who are you by the way?"

"We are visiting dancers.' They answered crossing their arms,"To this pathetic institution it has nothing on the Paris schools."

"This is not Paris. This is Ouran. "The girl replied, "And if you are visiting than perhaps you better learn the pecking order."

"Oh. Than you can follow us around and learn a thing or to." They answered, "Pecking order. Yes who are you?"

"I am the lead dancer." She answered crossing her arms, "Antoinette."

"Sisters there you are."

The twins glared as Tamaki strode over already being followed by group of girl dancer's who seemed to swoon over him, "Have you managed to make a friend?"

"This is our brother." The twins thumbed at Tamaki.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle. You are French as well?"

"Qui. I mean my Madré is, my Papa is Japanese." She answered offering her hand as Tamaki quickly graced her finger tips as she blushed, "Tell me-"

"I am Germain." He bowed low, "It is most excellent to be in the presence of such a fine dancer, have you visited the Paris schools?"

The twins laughed as soon as Tamaki had waltzed away into the crowd of girls, "Idiot. Let us go find something to ease the boredem."

They didn't have to go far as they soon found a group of girls and few boys chattering away.

"What is going on? What is the buzz?" They demanded

"The improtu performance staged by Mikan." A girl began.

"Kanji." A boy scolded, "Shush we don't know anything about that."

"Oh please yes we do. It was all the upper level seniors who were dancing with her. Of course none of them have the guts to admit how they were all out shone by her performance."

"She's got the raw talent."

"Who is this Mikan?" The twins began again leaning in as they rested their heads on their arms almost in a bored manner.

"New girl. She's been on the side lines, mostly chorus work, but she get's private instruction at the school."

"I think she's in a favor with Tamaki, the head master's son."

"The head doesn't control the theatre."

"Well still they must have worked something out.'

"Doesn't she work for that club? The host club?"

"What is the host club?"

"A bunch of the coolest and hottest guys at school charge rich daddy's girls exuberant amounts of money to drink tea."

"Sounds intriguing. Why don't you visit? To poor like the rest of the commoners."

There was a pause and then laughter.

"Oh man where'd you guys say you were from?"

"Paris." Hikaru answered glaring.

"Well I don't know about Paris dance schools, but the only way any of us can afford to even get into this program is scholarship."

The twins glanced dumbfounded at each other, "But surely you don't go to the school?"

"School. No we dance here all day." Another girl answered, "We're all on scholarship, only way we can afford the program. Now the regular school is all the rich bitches and bastards who snob off the theatre. It's nice to think they have no idea they walk the halls with scholarship students everyday."

"But Ouran has only one scholarship student."

There was another round of laughter, "Oh yeah. Haruhi, he's in on that host club gig. Not to bad of a guy though, a little regular. He's in the regular school."

"So what you dance all day?" Karou asked deeply disturbed that the theatre was over run with commoners, that they may walk the halls with them every day and never know.

"Duh. We have a few regular classes, but we're focused on theatre. The regular school is for the kids who are going to take over the family empire." They answered

The twins felt there blood began to boil, insolent commoners.

"What about this Mikan? We heard lots of rumors that she was using drugs."

More laughter.

"Drugs? Mikan? No. No. Yeah maybe she got a little hung over from parties, but drugs, no, no, no." a boy shook his head, "She just put on this performance-"

"Jin you said she didn't know what was going on."

"I lied." He looked away, "Anyways she meant to do it as a way to make a comeback of sorts or that's what Mya is saying now."

"Mya." A girl rolled her eyes, "What a bitch."

"Shh." Jin warned, "Her people are everywhere."

"Did someone say my name?"

The twins glanced at the brunet, she was slender built, taller and her boobs actually were present on her chest. Not quite like the other dancers.  
"Finally some one with culture. 'Hikaru exclaimed, "Perhaps you can talk with me and my sister here. We are sick of all this common rumor."

Mya blinked and then smiled, as she turned, "Of course, you can follow me to my room just over here."

Karou threw another glance at the group who had resumed talking quietly, as he focused on the boy, Jin. He looked oddly familiar. Mya however had begun to talk introducing them around to other groups. She seemed to have everyone fawning over her or else glaring from a distance.

She was one of those girls, the one who had the ties and connections to instill fear and power over the other dancers even if she wasn't built to be one herself. They had seen it before as they lounged in the lavish room.

"So no doubt you've heard the rumors." She began

"Of course." They shrugged, "It is not unlike a young upstart to try and steal the spot light.'

"I was hoping she would have broken a leg." Mya replied. She was in a pink skirt and black leotard as her hair was gathered back now in a series of twits and pins. Her shoes looked hardly worn through, but there were several blackened pairs around her.

"Do you hate her?"

"Oh me and her go way back." Mya bragged, "It began really in eight grade, it was my first major competition. She danced with such grace, and then I beat her score by five points. She was crushed, and every time after that she's made a point to beat me at everything. She even followed me to my theatre."

"Your theatre?" Karou asked

"It might as well be mine. My mother is the headmistress." She answered, "I still can't believe she was allowed in. I hear she has to take so many extra classes just o keep up with the material."

"Hmm." The twins shook their heads.

"We met at every conference, every competition. She never remember me, I knew she was just doing an act. And then she had that spill a year ago now, and she disappeared from the stage. She was supposed to be at an American school, Julliard."

"What happened?" The twins asked

'Oh she played it up as she fell off the stage. She was just blinded by a camera flash and fell into the orchestra pit.' Mya explained, "Broke her leg. Then She comes here, she doesn't of course enter in any of the dance programs, and sprains her leg. And then this. I'm not sure what she's trying to prove to me."

"It doesn't sound like she has anything to prove." Hikaru answered, "You've just created the drama to think that someone might rival you. Makes dance much more interesting."

"Oh no, no, sister. Mya may very well have a rival in Mikan, but why Mikan? She's not here."

"Oh no sister. It must be something else." Hikaru stared at her, as Mya rolled her eyes.

"Nothing really. Just friendly competition." Mya assured them.

"You insult her, you wish she would break a leg." The twins smiled, "Oh my we sense she poses a threat. We would do the same to any girl who dared question our position."

"Indeed." Mya nodded, "You may want to join the others, warm up begins in five minutes."

"Oh must we leave sister." Hikaru glanced at Karou.

"Indeed we must sister. We are guests." Karou answered as they walked out together, "That was boring."

"Needs more drama, more flair." Hikaru agreed as they smiled as they approached the senior dancer, Antoinette.

"Are you threatened by Mya as well?'

"Mya." She asked turning her attention from Tamaki, "Oh no. Younger dancer poses no threats to me. I'm trying to simply get into a good company when I have to leave."

"Mya is such an amazing dancer." A girl chimed to her friend.

"Yeah than why isn't she trying out?'

"She's the headmistress daughter. She's already guaranteed."

Antoinette stiffened at the mention, "Don't remind me. What I've had to fight with over that girl."

"Do please don't bring up such things. I am sure you have a much more natural grace." Tamaki assured her. The girl seemed to melt in his gaze.  
The twins huffed bored, this was getting there no where.

"Ladies! Ladies! Ladies! Was I missed?"

"Kagame!" Antoinette shoved Tamaki over, "Oh how have you been? I haven't seen you since New York City."

"I know. I know. I know. Oh whose your friend?

"This is Germaine." She answered grabbing his arm, "He's visiting from Paris. And these are his sisters."

"Oh how lovely. This is Kyoya, he's working as my guide." Kagame gestured to Kyoya who seemed to be observing the other dancers, "You two come speak with me."

The twins glanced at each other, as they followed Kyoya.

"So Kagame where is Mikan? I mean after her performance today-" She glanced around as she allowed Tamaki to listen in as well.

Kagame pulled back, "That wasn't a performance, my sister was drugged and someone thought it was funny to put her in the costume that she danced her final solo in before she fell of the stage. She then managed to dance well enough to survive, but now she can't even try out, because her legs need to recover."

"Oh Kagame. Jesus. Come on, Germaine do you mind?'

"No. Of course not." He answered following her. Antoinette seemed putting off, but smiled at his antics.

"God who could do something like that?" She asked as she began to stretch, "Germaine are you going to warm up."

"Of course." He answered as he effortlessly stretched, "I am here to watch perhaps demonstrate, nothing more."

"I was hoping you would stay." Antoinette began as she lifted her leg onto a bar.

"Oh perhaps we meet again." Tamaki answered

"Ahem. Back to my sister. I just saw her in the Nurses office, got the coffee she drank, the coffee that was drugged. I don't know who saw her that morning, but it had to be a fellow dancer. Did Mikan come back stage today?"

"No. I haven't seen her. I never see her. I mean all the girls gossip about her private classes." She began, "I don't stop them."

"Nor should you." Tamaki offered, "It's better to let rumor fly than for the poor girl to be accused of being taking advantage like what was her name, Mya."

"Oh nothing is worse than being the daughter of the headmistress." Antoinette she rolled her eyes, "Now sometimes they are good dancers, but Mya milks it. She rules over everyone else."

"Favorite." Kagame hissed, "Does she still hate Mikan?"

"More the ever. She convinced that Mikan followed her, I think it's because of her fling with Jin and then Mikan meeting right back up with him." Antoinette

"No. Mya was always into boys like Germaine." Kagame gestured behind her as Tamaki was busy leaning over and doing something with his arms. "So why? Mya wasn't there the Mikan fell off the stage, and now would she have the motive to almost kill her."

"Mya might be a bitch, but she's no murder." Antoinette nodded with a sigh, "So where does that leave us?"

"At a dead end." Kagame answered shifting her dress, "Mikan's been through so much, she doesn't need this."

"No dancer does. The school loves her, what's this about her being a puppy?"

"Is this girl a dog or a girl?" Tamaki asked as Antoinette laughed.

"Oh she's a girl. A pink headed free spirited imp who's been the biggest rival for senior dancers since Mellie." She crossed her arms as she glanced at him.

"Mikan is my sister." Kagame continued to keep up this masquerade, "Puppy is offical title so a bunch of rich boys can use her as a sex slave."

"What!" She demanded, but Kagame laughed at Tamaki's face.

"I kid." She shrugged,"It's a club she's apart of. She serves tea in a maid outfit, they call her their puppy."

"Tea to whom?'

"To girls, but the boys act as hosts." Kagame explain.

"Ah." She nodded her head, "The delicate art of conversation."

"Indeed." Tamaki agreed, "They do not sound so horrible, I'm sure their leader is handsome and strong-'

"And dumb as brick." Kagame stopped him as Tamaki sh rinked into a corner.

"What's wrong with Germaine?" Antoinette asked as she looked at Tamaki who was cultivating mushrooms in a corner.

"He's getting into his act." Kagame replied, "I've seen this before, I think the French are known for it." She glanced at Antoinette who crossed her arms annoyed, "Okay sorry. I forgot about how you're French."

"So who did it?" Antoinette started again, "And how is Mikan handling the popularity?"

"She's more concerned with working her way to a lead part." Kagame argued, "And I don't think she'll let this sudden boost at the school go to her head. They will forget about her in a week."

"Have you been to this school?" Antoinette argued, "The very rich are crazy. If they decide they like someone they will follow them around."

"Mikan is popular at the club and if anything she'll gain recognition like the other club members." Kagame answered, "Who know's she may become more popular than there king."

Tamaki let out a blood curling scream as he ran off.

"Germaine!" Antoinette called after him, but he was gone in a puff of dust and screaming dancers, "Oh my. He is dramatic."

"Part of his act. His love of the stage the burn of the stage lights." Kagame said dramatically, "So have I've been missed?"

"What do you think?" Antionette asked returning to her exercises, "Of course you have been missed. We had such fun in Paris, in the clubs."

"When you showed up to that class hung over and I had to give the instructor a lap dance to make sure he would forgive you."

"You saved my ass many times." Antoinette answered, "You never cease to amaze Kagame. Please do not tell me you've become a whore for real."

"I was never a whore to begin with, just a man eater." Kagame answered with a flick of her hair as she adjusted the front of her dress, "And no. I'm thinking of doing something with my baking, I'm just not sure quite what yet."

"Well there is time." Antoinette answered, "There is always time. I must finish preparing so if you excuse me."

Kagame bowed away, the auditions had already begun with the lesser members of the company trying out for the solos opened to their skill levels. Most girls kept to what they could while some strived to go higher and failed.

It was heart breaking to see if they fell out of a turn onto their face flat as a pancake.

"So Kyoya anything?" Kagame asked

"Besides damage control with Tamaki and the twins, no." He answered, "Those two happened to be useful and get cozy with Mya, the girl who is Mikan's supposed rival. I know her mother, and Mya would not shame her mother for the sake of a lead."

"You never know dancers Kyoya." Kagame warned, "What else?"

"The twins are popular and will be performing a small piece for the viewing pleasure of the fellow dancers and Tamaki will be assisting Antoinette in her lifts, it seems that the boy who was supposed to be helping her has dropped out."

"Who?"

"A Jin." Kyoya answered. Kagame raised an eyebrow, "Thanks keep and eye on the three stooges. I don't need to run out of here in my heels.'

"Hooker boots." Kyoya argued as Kagame rolled her eyes. He watched her go and then turned back to the swirling mass of bodies. The girls were muscular but trim, with muscles that bulged on their back and legs. Their hair was perfectly held back with not a hair stray or out of place.

They were preparing for their pieces now, lining up to be called onto stage or else warming up and doing something strange with their shoes. Their Pointe shoes were black and dull, unlike the ones he had once see Mikan buy.

It looked painful as they flexed and stretched their bodies at every angle chattering still as if they were nervous. He was sure each and every one of them knew their part, the beat of the music, and the moves, but it would take luck to make it all come together.

"I see you too have made friends, what are you calling yourselves again?" Kyoya glared at the twins who gulped as they patted their wigs and batted their eye lashes.

"Don't be jealous." They answered stiffly, "And were both called Paris."

"How original." Kyoya answered, "Where is Tamaki?"

"Here.' They pointed at the floor where the sobbing king had been moaning about Mikan.

"What is it Tamaki?" Kyoya asked

"Mikan is more popular than me! How is that! I'm gorgeous! There is no man or woman who can be more handsome! I have wit, charm, she is just a puppy! How! How!"

"Tamaki, you will always rule over Mikan. Without you there is no Mikan. Mikan is simply the flavor of the week, because she preformed an outrageous stunt due to the influence of drugs. People love her because she's different. She does not have the same social skills as you, in fact she is more blunt in her conversation. I do not see you sudden worry, as a master." Kyoya finished.

"That's it ! I have to do something just as crazy!" Tamaki leaped up as Kyoya grabbed by the ear.

"No you don't.' Kyoya warned, "Don't even try."

"But-but-but." Tamaki began putting on his saddest face.

"No. You are Germaine here, and you will help perform with Antoinette and then be done with it." Kyoya warned, "Now go stretch with her and find out what you must do for the piece."

"This should be amusing." The twins laughed

"You two. I hope you know what your doing or risk embarrassing the whole club?"

"Oh please." The twins crossed their arms, "Like we could ever do that."

They sauntered off as Kyoya sighed and leaned against the table making notes on his pad.

Mikan had been a lead in a major production of a showcase. She had danced the lead solo in the ballet the firebird. She had fallen off the stage, and broken a leg and retired from dance. She comes to Ouran, injured twice more, and then this occurs. She's forced to dance in the firebird costume in front of the school falling, but not breaking her leg this time.

The question became who and why? It seemed to tie into Mikan's past, which from as he had noticed she never, ever spoke of. She was very private about dance, she had always been private about dance. They knew less about her than they did Tamaki which was saying something. What could she be hiding?

He sighed again as he shut his pad. He was going to have to maul over it for awhile as he desperately wanted his computer or a computer, something with an internet connection.

"Kyoya this is Jin. I'm sure you've at least seen him."

He glanced at the tall dark haired boy in the same ensemble as the other male dancers.

"Nice to meet you.'

"I'm hear your head of the host club, shadow king." Jin smiled as Kyoya eyed Kagame who shrugged, "Are your friends trying out?"

"No." He lied quickly

Jin laughed, "Kagame you weren't kidding this guy's a stick."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow as Kagame simply looked around, "I beg your pardon."

"Forget it Shadow King." Jin offered, "I hear you need some help with Mikan. Kagame is only going to tell you so much and don't even try with Mikan. She'll bite your hand of if you mention New York and the firebird incident."

"Why?" He inquired

"Because it ruined her chances of getting in Julliard. There wasn't supposed to be any flash photography, blinds a dancer." Jin answered, "And don't think I'm going to tell you. Mikan and me have a confidence and I can't jeopardize that."

"We're you close?" Kyoya asked feeling more like a cop on a detectiveve show.

"Yeah. Partners for the two weeks of classes." He answered, "We did all out partner dances, anytime she needed a lift, you could say we grew really close."

Kyoya nodded as Jin cleared his throat. Kagame had moved away.

Jin leaned in,"Listen as someone who dances for a living, Ill give you some advice. Guard what you're asking. People are treacherous around here, everyone is after the other guys part, dancers are sensitive creatures."

"I can see that." He answered coolly.

"I know, and that's why I warning you." Jin answered, "I am really close to Mikan, and I would love to find out who did this, but like I said dancers are sensitive."

Kyoya took it as you hurt her feelings and my foot with be up your ass in the most polite manner possible.

"Glad we understand each other." Kyoya answered as Jin laughed.

"Your alright shadow king. I don't know why they run from you. That glint in the glasses is a good touch."

"Your input will be accredited where needed." He answered as Jin lingered by him, "Can I help you?"

"No. You can move if I'm bothering your space." Jin offered as he smiled.

"No." Kyoya answered, "Don't you have a dance to prepare for."

"Perhaps. I go last." He shrugged, "No big deal. I rather hang around one who is not going to be followed by fans in his own studio."

'I know the feeling." Kyoya answered, "Giggling girls."

"Yes. They hang around you like flys, but few actually know what you do or look past your looks." Jin continued

"And then they say the sweetest things it makes your teeth rot." Kyoya continued

"And you can't be rude, because you'll hurt their feelings."

"Though you want them to shoo." Jin continued, "And then the ones who get you are few and in between, and so you keep yourself guarded."

"To make sure no one can get past your defenses." Kyoya sighed leaning a head on his palm.

"Hehe. We have a lot in common shadow king." Jin laughed

"Not likely." Kyoya answered, "I run a successful business."

"Which takes a grace." He replied, "Don't worry Shadow King, I'll pretend to fear you.'

"No need." Kyoya answered, "No point. People will think what they will and your position guarantee's no one will question."

"Only rumor." Jin finished for him, as they grew quiet.

"Do you like dance?" Kyoya started

"Yeah. You like business."

"It allows me to express myself." He answered

"Cool." Jin answered as they both struggled to find something to say. There was that quiet connection, that absurd factor that allowed them to be more than acquaintances.

Kyoya cleared his throat, "So where are you going from here?'

"A company. I'm hoping for the American Ballet Company, got a couple offers in Europe, smaller companies." he answered

"Is it hard to find someone." He began

"A place." Jin offered, "Yes and no. I have a better chance of security, because of my track record and connections with previous instructors."

"Ah." Kyoya answered, "Do you play sport?"

"No. I get enough here." He answered, "You."

"Running." He answered, "I work out to keep in physical shape."

"Ah, yes. Appearances are important." Jin answered, "You married off yet?"

Kyoya blanched, "No."

"Sorry I'm used to hearing of arranged marriages for the sake of companies." He explained, "I assumed."

"Understandable. Is everyone on scholarship?" He asked

"Of course. That is the only way you get into the program." Jin answered, "You have to apply, try out and be placed. You are assigned classes, you have to go to conferences."

"Its work being a dancer." Kyoya answered, "Do you find time for classes?"

"I have school in between dance." He answered, "We take classes outside of this or we try to. How goes running a club?"

"Interesting. "Kyoya replied, "Very interesting."

"You want to go get a sandwich or something after all of this." He offered

"I'm busy today.' Kyoya started

"No problem." Jin shrugged, "I'll find you at lunch."

Kyoya paused, friend? He had very few of those. A dancer, it would make things interesting.

"I'm up soon. You may want to go watch your friend." He commented as Kyoya stood up.

He watched as Tamaki managed to walk-through each of the steps.

"Amazing isn't it?" Kagame asked as she stood beside him from behind the stage wings.

They watched Antoinette as she extended her legs and arms, gracefully turning in each step as Tamaki followed her, holding her in each of the turns and lifting from the hips.

"He's not half bad." Kagame commented "Enough to make her look amazing."

Kyoya laughed as he pushed up his glasses, "Jin is nice."

"You got along?" Kagame questioned

"What? Is that surprising that I can get along with people." He answered

"No. No." Kagame shook her head, "Really? Jin. Jin. Wow. Then again your friends with Tamaki."

Kyoya let it go, "Have the twins gone?"

"Nope. They will go after all the others have finished." Kagame explained, "They've managed to win over almost the whole studio. Little devils."

'That is what we advertise them as." Kyoya offered

"They better not pull that yoia crap they do at the club.' Kagame warned, "They won't put up with it here."

"I think the believe they are French ballerina's named Paris." Kyoya answered, "Where are they anyways?"

"Probably chatting with Mya and spreading rumor." He answered

"Mya. Gah." She commented, "Don't talk to me about Mya. She gets under my skin way to quickly."

"She does seem to have that presence. Does she have talent?"

"Yes. She just exploits her mother's position, she plays into the political side of dance." Kagame offered

"You know a lot about this."

"I was the one who took Mikan to performances and conferences. Mom couldn't afford to travel, writing for her magazine and working on the novel and raising the other three. Me and Mikan must have tromped all over the states and some of Europe."

"How long has she been dancing?"Kyoya asked

"Since she was two." Kagame shrugged, "She didn't get serious till sixth grade."

"Ah." He nodded, "Did you tell Tamaki Mikan was more popular than him?"

"I suggested that the puppy might become more popular." She answered, "I mean come on a school chanted her name."

"True." He nodded

"She won't Kyoya. She probably won't even notice." Kagame crossed her arms, "I need food."

"Go steal a granola bar." Kyoya started

"Nah." Kagame sighed as they watched Tamaki and Antoinette finished as she clapped. Tamaki was panting as he came off stage.

"Germaine what out of breath?" Kagame teased as Tamaki sat on the floor.

"Lifts are hard." he panted leaning against her leg, "Kagame save me."

"Deep breaths. Deep Breaths. How did it go Antoinette?" Kagame asked as the girl stretched.

"Fantastic. Germaine you should take a rest and be careful. Have you not dance sine your arrived a week ago?"

"To much family." he lied, "I am sorry that you have to see me like this."

"No worries." She answered as she grabbed his hand, "Come on I want you to meet some of my other friends."

"Is it me or are we now leading double lives?" Kyoya asked

"Its you. I always do this." She answered, "Come on we need to find a new lead."

"I have a hunch that this goes back to when she fell off a stage." Kyoya answered

"Oh yeah someone brought a grudge forward and followed Mikan to her new school." Kagame rolled her eyes, "I have highly doubt that."

"Whatever you say Kagame, but I need to do my sleuthing on the computer."

"Hacking files." She countered

"There is that." He mumbled

"You're not denying it." She chimed, "I'm going to find food and hopefully something that can be a clue."

"Your Tamaki!" someone yelled at.

Kyoya raised his head as he scrambled off the ground, running to Tamaki who seemed flustered at the situation. No dancers attended the host club from what he gathered.

"Mya stop it. This is Germaine."

"He's the host club king." Mya answered, "Duh. Then again of course you wouldn't know you don't have the money or the time to afford it."

"Ahem." Kyoya coughed, "I beg your pardon, but this dancer could never be the host club king."

"Who are you?" Mya asked as Kyoya realized she had no idea who he was. He smiled,

"Germaine's personal guide for while he tours Ouran program. And I don't believe that the headmistress, daughter should not spread such rumors."

Mya seemed to swallow a frog as the twins came over behind her.

"Oh please she obviously is just confused. Germaine is uglier than Tamaki could ever be." They answered, "Come on Mya you were going to show us that stretch."

They walked off as Kyoya commented, "Is she always like this?"

"Sometimes worse." Antoinette answered bristling, "Your sisters seem to be a perfect match for her."

"My sisters, oh yes." Tamaki nodded, "Perfectly horrible beasts."

"Germaine we must be on our way. We will return in time for their performance, excuse us." Kyoya tugged and prodded Tamaki away, but not before he had thoroughly bowed and showered Antoinette in affection and praise for her skills.

"Tamaki." Kyoya hissed

"Shh! I'm undercover!" He answered walked proudly away

"You look like a fool in those tights, your fans will think your gay!'

"AHHHHH!" Tamaki screamed as he took of running, "Must change! Must change!"

Kyoya shook his head, this was the last time he was going to let Kagame talk him into a hair brain scheme. Tamaki returned a moment later, in his school uniform, and Kyoya could honestly say he never wanted to see Tamaki in tights ever again.

"I forgot how loose pants are." He commented adjusting his tie.

"Tamaki. Let's go. The twins can make fools of themselves, we've been here to long."

Kyoya sighed, "I am ready to go home and away from this excessiveve dance drama."

"Think of the poor puppy her psychotic renegade dance killer might be out there watching her every move!" Tamaki cried

Kyoya blinked, "Good bye Tamaki we will meet tomorrow."

* * *

Mikan paused later as she rode home in the truck with Kagame as her stomach churned. She chewed on the rather stale pop tart she had found in the glove box, as she gulped.

"Mikan?" Kagame started, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She lied. Something was wrong, call it a sixth sense, but she could feel something that was going to brew up and over the surface like a pot of noodles left too long on the stove top. It was like everything over the past year was going to come into play, that this incident had something sinister about it.

She couldn't describe it, but she couldn't relax as she stared out the window, taking deep breaths.

She was the firebird, burst into flames, but this was her time to come back. No matter what she was going to get a solo in that damn show even if she had to beg.

"Mikan." Kagame offered again, "Did you know the twins dressed up today in tights?"

Mikan shook her head and laughed, "No way. I'm not going to even ask why."

"You wouldn't believe me." Kagame said softly, "You doing okay?'

"Yeah."

"Liar." She pushed, "Come on. You must have felt something."

"No." She answered, "The whole thing is kind of funny."

"Yeah funny. Poor Mori."

"What? Mori is fine." She argued, "He's a strong guy."

"He lifted almost all those girls and then Hunny wanted a piggy back ride."

"Did you visit with anyone?" Mikan asked

"Yeah, Antoinette. Remind why are you not friends?"

"The dance rule." Mikan answered, "Duh.'

"Oh don't be hating." Kagame shook her head, "You and that dance rule. It's keeping you from friendships."

"Its not a big deal." Mikan encouraged, "And why were the twins in tights?"

"Well they wanted to see what it was like being dancers so they put on tights and tutu's."

"Oh no." She moaned, "No. No. That is so wrong and they fooled everyone."

"Why?" She asked, "They could have asked me."

"Mikan. Sweet heart, everyone wants to be a dancer. And I think they wanted to see what its like to wear tights." She laughed, "I wish I could have gotten them into fish nets."

"Kagame you are sick. So how is everybody?" Mikan started

"Good." Kagame nodded, "They talk about you a lot."

"What do they say?"

"All the same things. Rivalries. Politics. You big accident." Kagame waved a hand.

"Don't tell me you launched some kind of hair brained, scheme to investigate."

Mikan sighed, "You watch to many cop shows."

"Mikan someone is out to get you. You don't want to admit that. People will always be after you because of your talent. They're scared."

"Amazing I'm still alive." She answered

"Your scared aren't you." Kagame started, "Your scared because you can't remember."

"To think someone did that. Drugged me, and I can't even recall." She started

"Hun, we'll figure this out." Kagame promised patting her leg, "Eh. You still with me."

"Yeah." She nodded, "You think the headmistress will let me try out still."

"Beg and grovel. And pull into a sob story." She answered, "She might give you a shot.'

"Fuckin up tight bitch." Mikan grumbled

"Mya?" Kagame started

"Yeah Mya. She'll be all over this. I can't believe I didn't recognize her this morning and then I get to see her right after I wash the puke out of my hair."

"Did you tell her off?"

"No need she was busy." Mikan muttered running a hand through her hair, "Did you tell mom yet?"

"Which part?" Kagame asked

"Any part." Mikan offered, "You know how she gets self righteous."

"I think you're down playing all of this." Kagame answered, "Who would go through that kind of trouble."

"Kagame I don't want to think about it." Mikan answered, "With you on the case I'm sure that it will all work out for the best. It's probably a stupid prank gone wrong."

"Tamaki and Kyoya mentioned a man in a cloak had you. It might have been a jacket and a hat." Kagame began

"So what a thug drugged me?" Mikan cocked her head as Kagame twisted her lip and shrugged.

"I'll check into it."

"Yeah. Though so." Mikan answered, "So how's Jin?"

"He's good. He's taken to Kyoya." Kagame offered

"Everyone likes Kyoya." She answered, "Everyone. I'm not kidding, he might be the shadow king, but that sweet face he shows to everyone is like a Venus fly trap."

"Comparing him to a plant not bad." Kagame offered, "You sure you're going to be cool?"

"Yeah. Yui dad is out of town again. Same with her mom."

"You want me to drop at her house."

"Yeah." Mikan nodded, "I need a distraction from my stress."

Kagame sighed as she changed lanes, "Here we go."

"Thanks."

"Of course babe." She answered, "Do your homework, you going to spend the night?"

"Yeah. I think I will, she doesn't like to be alone." Mikan sighed

"I understand." She answered, "Mikan this is still touchy I know, but do you feel violated?"

"Yes and no. Not being in control of my actions, knowing that some shadowy figure was dragging me around, pretty, pretty worrisome, but like I said I'm assuming it was some kid." She answered, "Yeah just a prank."

There was silence in the car as Kagame pulled up and into Yui's driveway.

"Alright be good." She warned.

Mikan only rolled her eyes as she got out of the car and walked briskly up the front steps. Kagame watched as Yui waved at her before letting Mikan in.

She was going to fry the bastard who did this if it was the last thing she did, as she pressed on the accelerator and spit gravel as she pulled out of the driveway.

* * *

More cliffhangers. Get used to it as the story arc progresses, so Mikan won't admit that someone tried to hurt her, Kagame is pissed and has Kyoya working the case, and while suspiscion is away from Mya, the headmistresses of Ouran Theatre daughter, her under the breath comments say something else. And it seems Tamaki doesn't mind prancing around in tights, no surprise there, and the twins aren't to bad in tutu's, (horrible mental images) they wore flats not pointe shoes for clarification.

Poor Mikan she can't catch a break with rivals and old (cough) flames (cough) (cough)

I'm accepting guesses at who dun it.

Please review and review, and review, and fav and or alert.


	26. The Dinner Guest

Okay I'm back again. Figured this would be a good time for another update. The story is moving along nicely, and the arc continues for a few chapters yet. Holy Cows! Thanks to all the love I've been getting you guys are amazing, lets break 100 soon! Hehe! I'll give out virtual cake , I promise.

Yes this story is quite the monster, seeing as we haven't touched on Renge. If I went through every day of Mikan's life this thing would stretch a thousand chapters, thank god for author tools.

* * *

Chapter Twenty Six: The Dinner Guest

Mikan admired Yui's house. It was not over sized, but it was big. Bigger than hers, but decorated in a mix off marble and gold with hard wood floors. It was like walking through a museum with all the art pieces Yui's mother collected on her trips. Mikan had met Yui's parents once an in a rush, one was headed to an art auction the other to the middle of the jungle to look about flowers. Yui she found had been living alone for months at a time in the great big house, with the servants, which were few unless her mother was hosting a gathering.

Mikan had seen more of them in pictures. Her mother was a fiery red head with blue eyes, she was American, had started an auction house made her fortune fast and hard. Her father, was a quiet blonde man with a small smile that stood of to the side in group shots, he loved anything floral, and spent his time running about collecting didn't like to pry, but it was like Yui was raising herself half the time, but she avoided the talk about it. Yui was very private, but she seemed closer to her dad. She was always in photo's with him and dismissed her mom as being busy, always busy.

She knew the feeling with her own mom, and well no dad didn't make it easy.

Yui was hanging in her room that was decorated in bright pictures of butterflies on the wall that her father had painted when they first moved to the house. Her father wasn't Japanese either, but her mother had wanted a more competitive market than what America could offer. So they had moved when she was three and she was placed at Ouran and forced to learn to speak Japanese to fit in.

She sat in a loose fitting green top and white capri's, the room was warm, as Mikan shrugged off her jacket and shoes, climbing on the bed with her.

"So, sup?" She offered

"Nothing much." Yui answered, "You still freaked out?"

-Inner Yui Theatre-

Mikan in a straight jacket.

"They'll all after me. They'll get me. I know it. I know it."

Mad laughter as the cell closes.

Kagame shakes her head, "She was so good, until this. I blame Yui, that little blonde has always had it in for me and my evil shcemes."  
Laughs wickedly

-End_

"Yo. Yui!' Mikan snapped her fingers, "And yeah I'm still paranoid about it. More confused you know, because who would hate me enough to do that."

"So you feel violated? Like some sense of your idenity been robbed from you kind of thing?" Yui offered

"Yeah how do you know?" Mikan asked

"I know guys." She answered, "And they think sometimes because your blonde that your easy. And they try things, like touching your boobs, and you scream no, and they do it any way, and you just loose it. It's like there no self respect for your voice and you just feel lost."

"Damn how often have you been groped like that?"

"Three times." She answered, "Different boys, mostly the scorror players they get drunk faster."

"I though you didn't drink." Mikan started

"I don't. They do." She answered, "No biggee. I kicked their ass afterwards. You will to, once we manage to find the guy."

"Your so calm about it-" Mikan started as Yui glanced at her.

"You have to be. I mean if you fight to hard they increase their grip, it's best to lay still and wait for an opening. Strike like cobra." She answered.

"Yui you scare me with your smart talk." Mikan glanced at her, "Why don't you act like this at school?"

"Duh. Blonde. Ouran is for the super rich sweet heart and the girls are expected to be placid little perfects. You should see Rai when she get's drunk."

"Rai?" Mikan raised an eyebrow

"Oh yeah. Mixers in the summer is a crazy time. Mind you we don't do it for the hell of it, mostly because our parents force us to go together." Yui explained, "So we try to work on our guy skills."

"Yui this a whole new side of you." Mikan laughed, "but you don't drink."

"Yeah I know. I get kind of blonde when I go to school. Makes it easy you know, if people think your smart, they have certain expectations on you."

"Oh yeah I know the feeling." Mikan answered, "So you act dumb to fit in, because you feel pressure to fit in."

"Mikan you are able to stand out, because of the basic social standing you have as the puppy. Anything you do is adorable, and so people don't really care what that is. And you only became the puppy because of your social standing with the host club. Now we both know the only reason you landed that position is because Kyoya saw something in you that he could use." Yui explained

"What are you psychologist?" Mikan demanded

"I study people on the side. Gives me an edge on gossip." Yui answered, "And I know you have them figured out too, for the most part. Tamaki is loveable, Hunny adorable, Mori silent, Kyoya cunning, the twins devils and Haruhi, well is Haruhi."

"So it comes down to the fact that they are hot as all get out and don't mind bowing down for our pleasure." Mikan smiled

"Exactly, and I have no problem associating my self with them, because I don't have any obligations to further courtships." Yui answered as she shook the bottle of nail polish.

"Yui this is so strange." Mikan muttered again, "I mean I knew you were smart, but you've never-"

"Shown it. Like I said its easier. Just like you don't ever talk about your dance past, you don't tell us about how it's going, you just dissapear and re appear sore." Yui argued,

"Nails darling."

"Oh green. My fav." Mikan smiled as Yui began to paint the first coat.

"You ignoring the statement." Yui pointed out, "Come on. I just revieled that I have some sort of a mind in here, go on give me something."

"Quid pro pro Clarice. Quid pro pro." Mikan teased

"We'll eat liver and beans later, question now." Yui continued.

"What do you want to know?" Mikan offered

"How did you first start dancing?" Yui asked

"When I was two took some classes, got bored. Sixth grade my mom sent me to some audtions to an extra part for a commuity center production and I got the lead in the NutCracker. Claria. No experience. I was thrust into ballet and demanded that I learn the part a matter months."

"Then what-'

"Well I kind of stuck with it. I got competitive. I joined a studio and I joined the teams that competed. I was mostly ballet some hip hop a little jazz, but ballet was my passion. Then I got into pointe around seventh grade and that was a whole new phase."

"They start you guys out young." Yui commented

"Dancers have a short life." Mikan shrugged, "And I was doing really well, then ninth grade I had to give up the stage for a while, to recover from my broken leg."  
"And you got into Ouran?' Yui asked

"Well my mom's book meanwhile took off, and we got rich enough to move back to Japan." She explained, "As the sales grew we could afford to do a lot more. I checked in around schools, and a friend introduced me to Ouran. I applied for the program and I got in."

"But you didn't transfer till late this fall?" She asked

"Yeah." She nodded, "That's how it turned out with adjusting and paper work."

"So what's going on now?"

"Dance wise. I have to go beg the headmistress of the theatre of Ouran to let me try out, given my situation."

"Ah. Good luck." Yui nodded

"Your turn." Mikan smiled as Yui began on her other hand.

"My turn? What do you want to know?" She asked

"What you want to be when you grow up?" Mikan answered

"A rocket scientist." Yui laughed

"No come on. What?" Mikan encourage

"Not sure. At Ouran a lot of the kids have their path's set out, they follow what their parents do. Mine are two different sets of mold's, my mother is rich and successful trader of rare art, while my dad is bontonist with a passion for rare orchids. I don't really want to be either."

"I can see that." Mikan shrugged ,"What do you like to do?"

"Oh draw. Paint. Sing." Yui answered, "I've had a few voice lessons, used to be in a choir."

"What happened?" Mikan asked

"My mom decided that singing was not for me and put me in other programs to make me career oriented. She pushed me to do what she did, I don't think she really apporves of what dad does."

"Not a real job right?" Mikan asked

"Yeah." Yui nodded, "So I kind of gave up that and my mom stopped pushing this past year. Her sales have done better, and she's been out more. Let's me breath."

"But you don't have any guidance." Mikan muttered

"Yeah well your mom not always around.'

"She has five kids and a book tour, I don't blame her. We keep in touch and I have Kagame." Mikan argued

"True." Yui answered

"Don't you miss you had that connection?" Mikan asked

"Yes and no." Yui answered, "This way I'm free to sing in the shower without her then retaliating and putting me in all sorts of trade classes or gala's to meet people."

"What about your dad?" She sked

"What about him." Yui offered, "He loves his flowers. He asks me to sing to them, we even made a demo tape for his friends, he says it helps the flower grow."

"Can I listen?' Mikan asked

"When I'm finished with your nails." Yui answered, "So my dad's cool."

"Nice." Mikan nodded, "So what's your next question?'

"How long did it take you to get over your dad's death?"

"God. A long time." Mikan answered, "I was young. I forget maybe like eleven old enough to know what happened. My twin brothers had just turned four, Ayumi would be eight, and Kagame like sixteen. My parents had taken a skiing weekend and my dad was a daredevil. He flipped off a jump the wrong way and broke his neck. They were to late to save him, when resuce was able to get down to him. My mom cried for four days straight. Kagame took over everything, forced her to grow up-forced us all to grow up fast."

She paused, "I remember asking her when he was coming back and her look was so sad, because she knew he wasn't. We deiced after all the funeral and the reletives that it was best thing, because he died doing what he loved. My mom then became obssed over finishing the novel she had started with him, and five years later, it's a best seller."

"So they wrote it together?" Yui asked

"It was their project. Just something on the side. My dad made money by getting endorsers for his ski jumps and my mom wrote for a well known magazine. We were comfortable on our small farm.'

"You lived on a farm?" Yui paused

"Yeah." Mikan nodded, "Like in Montanna. We moved after my dad died to New York, because of the whole memory thing. We lost a lot of our horses, couldn't afford to keep them. It was s weird living in the city. We had the smallest apartment you could imagine, me and Kagame used to share one half of the room while Ayumi slept in her own bed. Good times. Fun times."

Yui was queit for a minute, "And that's how you managed all this dance stuff?"

"My mom saw that I loved it. I really loved it. Since I couldn't ride, she let me chase it. I got scolarships, nominations, Kagame would drive me all over to each competiton, conference. I just couldn't stop and I decided that I would become the best dancer in the world so I could pay back my mom."

"And then her book got published."

"Right after my leg got broken. And things just went topsy tury in a few months." Mikan answered, "And like I said-"

"You got in to Ouran." Yui finished, "I'm glad you did. You know the first day we met, I was afraid of you."

"Why?"

"You had pink hair. At our school different is taken as a bad sign." She answered, "A really bad sign, and that's why a lot of girls didn't talk to you at first."

"And here I thought it was my B.O." Mikan smiled," So what made you guys different?"

"For us it was that bunny, we knew it was Honey-sans." she answered, "And for the new odd girl out to be holding it, well I'm not proud but we love to gossip."

"Oh. So you decided that I was interesting." Mikan answered, "I was pretty naïve."

"Well you went to public school, I don't think they have the same dynamic at public school."

"Dy-na-mic, a three syllable word." Mikan smiled as Yui glared putting a streak of green nail polish on her nose, "Hey! Not fair!"

"All's fair in love and war." Yui reminded her, "So, anyways, I think I just took a liking to you, we all did, you were so different like us, but you didn't have a problem acting different."

"Rai and Momo-"Mikan started, "What's different about them?"

"Well different in that way, that we have bigger ambitions than just what's going on at school." She answered, "We like the drama, but we don't get obsessed over it. We don't have to go to the host club; we can get guys on our own. You know, but no one wants to be like that, because everyone likes how it is."

"The host club is exclusive." Mikan answered, "The boys don't ever get tiered of the drama."

"I'm sure they don't." Yui agreed, "So any secrets you can tell me?"

"Tell you? No, but I want to know is why you guys always sprint away whenever they come near." Mikan commented

"Part of those un said rules of being different." Yui answered, "You know the host club is exclusive, because they don't really have friends outside of class. They talk to other people, but you guys are really friends with your selves."

"Oh basic social structure." Mikan nodded, "Same thing with dancers. We have friends in studio and outside."

"See." Yui answered, "So why did you come over?"

"I didn't want to sleep alone. I needed you." Mikan answered rolling her eyes as she glanced at her nails, "Go play the CD."

"Fine." Yui rolled of the bed as she popped in the cd into the stereo. Mikan waited as she heard the strange melody begin to the piano and then the voice.

"Yui is this you?" Mikan demanded. Yui looked away shy.

"Yeah." She nodded

"That is amazing." Mikan smiled, "Wow. I mean really amazing."

"It's okay." Yui answered, "I could do better."

"Whatever I want a copy." Mikan demanded as she rolled onto her stomach, "So what now?"

"Boys." Yui offered

"Boys." Mikan agreed, "So any boys in your life?"

"No." Yui began, "I spend a lot of time at the host club, and so I kind of get side tracked and stop looking." "I could see that. See me, I don't really want to date, the last 'boyfriend" I had was terrible so much work." Mikan shrugged, "Who do you like?"

"Oh well there's a boy in my math class, he looks kind of like a dork, always where a orange and red scarf."

"So you talk to him?" Mikan started

"Eh, he's not one for talking. You ever get hit on by sport's guys?"

"No. I'm a dancer I think we repel each other." Mikan answered

"True." Yui answered

"What do you look for in a guy?" Mikan asked, "I want someone who make me laugh and is at least cute."

"Same." Yui answered, "And good kisser."

"That would be nice." Mikan nodded, "so, how are classes?'

"Their good. Hard as always, but good. I hate my one sensei I swear he hates my writing style so I never make a good grade on my thesis papers."

"Aww. School is so subjective, but over here it's like life or death for grades."

"I know." Yui answered, "I though I had it hard at the private academy in England."

"You lived in England." Mikan started

"Oh yeah. Three years in a boarding school." She explained, "Let my mom and dad travel without worry of where I was or what I was doing."

"Ew." Mikan answered, "Sorry I come from a big family, I could never be away from them like that."

"No its cool. Boarding school became my family. My teachers were my parents, my friends were my siblings." She answered, "I talked to my parents twice a month. I think my dad really realized what he was missing, and started to come visit me once every three months."

"That's missing you." Mikan started confused, "That's a casual visit."

"Not for him." She answered, "So what does your family do? Tell me more about your like in New York City that must have been fun."

"Made me street smart really fast." Mikan answered as she delved back into the memories, "Well I went to a huge public school for the district, small classrooms, but decent teachers most times. I switched to home schooling when dance got more intense."

"What about your brothers, your sisters?" She asked again

"Well Kagame had finished highschool by then, and had been taking cooking lessons on the side. Her part time job was in this tiny bakery with a crazy Russian lady who was chocoliter, and a perfectionist. Kagame would make a whole batch of truffles and if they weren't just right she'd have to throw them all out and do it again." Mikan smiled and laughed, "Mrs. Kantza's I think her name was, she was married to a little man who ran the shop with her, and she always let me and Ayumi eat a cookie for free."

"Wow." Yui commented, "Your brothers?"

"Nursery school, day care, and then public school with me and Ayumi." Mikan answered, "Well no wait Ayumi got a scholarship and ended up in the east side at some private academy. She ended up boarding, and came home most weekends. So it really was just my mom and the twins most of the time at the apartment. I traveled a lot like I said, or I was at class. I think I lived at the dance studio's around New York."

"So did you dance for one studio or did you join one of the bigger studio's?"

"Well it really was that I would dance for any one who had an open place. We didn't have a lot of cash, so my mom would scrape to get me new shoes or tights. I invented this look where I would wear a pair of black leggings kind of when I couldn't get new tights. My professional teachers didn't know what to say when I showed up to class in blackened pointe shoes, I must have re glued the box so many times, and the satin was rubbed off on the top."

"I got discounts or people who were the same size as me would give me their shoes to be re glued that they had only used for a performance. It was like I was the cheap ass of ballerina's, but it worked. I began to make a name for myself in companies, where they knew me. I got grants and small scholarships to pay for supplies, I could have joined one company, but they were never what I wanted. I would have been locked in the chorus for years. I wanted to be a star, so I kept trying and then I got a chance to perform in the Julliard showcase."

"I wanted to do something amazing. So I did this solo piece from the fire bird, I added my own moves, made my own costume with some help from the wardrobe people I had met. They liked it so much they gave me the spot, I beat out a rival senior dancer for the position. I was living the dream."

She paused as Yui had grown quiet listening to her story.

"Then they told me to go attend another conference that was for a show case. I though it would be great, instead of a solo I would dance with a partner, the prince who captures the fire bird. It went well, until I performed. I wasn't looking what I was doing and there was a bright flash, they think it was from a news camera and I fell off the stage into a tuba. I broke my leg in the fall, I think I fainted as soon as I knew I had broken it."

"Wow." Yui began, "Mikan way to tell me your life story."

"Sorry I go into a rant. We've known each other for awhile now, you told me how your mom crushed your dreams as an artist, burned all your old art work, and claimed that it was better to sell than create." Mikan reminded her, "So I figured you should know my orgin story."

"What are we super hero's now?" Yui demanded

"Yes. Yes we are." Mikan agreed ,"I am underpants girl with the power to make lingere rain from the sky."

"Gross. Better be clean.' Yui told her, "I would want the power to create landscapes. The powers of an all powerful being!"

"Creepy." Mikan answered, "Good luck with your plans for world domination."

"Your welcome to join in." Yui answered as she picked up a new bottle of nail polish and began to work on her toes, "So what do you want to do now?'

"I dunno, we can sit and stare at each other for a long time." Mikan offered

"Sounds good." Yui nodded, as a silence pass over them, "I like Tamaki-sempi."

"You do?" Mikan asked

"I worship him." Yui said with a straight face, "I have a shrine dedicated to him."

"What?" Mikan asked as her mouth fell open, "You know I think he already has feelings for another girl-"

"Then I will KILL HER!" Yui screamed as Mikan jumped on the bed and fell over the side scrambling to get up, but Yui was laughing holding her stomach.

"Sor-r-r-r-y." She managed between her gasps for air, "You should have seen your face! "

"What was that for!" Mikan argued

"I was bored" Yui answered crossing her arms, "Duh and it was waay to quiet in the room. I hate quiet."

"So you don't have a shrine dedicated to Tamaki-sempi." Mikan started

"Uh no." Yui answered flipping her hair, "Are you nuts? I'm not that disillusioned. Everyone knows that the host club will probably end up with arranged marriages."

"What?" Mikan asked

"Oh yeah. Well except Haruhi, but when you're like that rich its only natural. Their parents will want to form good alliances with other companies."

"No kidding." Mikan answered, "So are we in threat of being arranged."

"We're class B." Yui answered, "You're a class C if we were going to go just on what your mother makes. So no."

"Good." Mikan answered, "Then why do we have classes together."

"Oh. Well Ouran is broken up into for different levels depending on the status of your parents. " Yui answered, "So Class A is the richest and Class D is well not the poorest, they make a decent amount."

"No I get it." Mikan answered, "So I'm a class C?"

"Sure independent wealthy combined with old money." Yui answered, "My mother and father are both wealthy, but my mother is the one who has the connections, the foundations, and the parties. She has her own art house, which makes our family a competitive candidate."

"So if my mom was to get a publishing house-" Mikan started

"You would probably be bumped up a notch, depending on how big it is, how competitive your mother is in that market." Yui answered, "It's a host of factors."

"Hehe host." Mikan laughed

"Yeah like Rai's mother has a series of boutiques for fashion." Yui explained, "So she is made competitive for fashion houses to be featured in her store."

"Ah. What about Momo?"

"No one is quite sure about Momo." She answered, "I know her dad is a big C.E.O of a French company for the Japanese division and her mother I think doesn't have to work, but runs a series of foundations and ."

"So are her parents together-"Mikan started

"Yeah." Yui shrugged, "It's not a big deal. She doesn't like to go to her house ever-"

"Wow." Mikan commented, "Well I can understand that-"

"No you don't." Yui said softly, "Sorry Mikan, but I've been her friend since grade school."

"Then what am I not getting?" Mikan asked

"Her parents hate each other." Yui answered, "Momo hasn't lived with them for three years."

"Momo been living on her own?" Mikan started

"Well she has her grandmother who lives with her. They got an apartment and she has a friend in the city who drives her to Ouran in the morning and she usually catches a ride back home with Rai who visits some of the shops every afternoon."

"Holy shit." Mikan smiled," I had no idea. Is she always so private about it?"

"Like I said Mikan, being different doesn't help at this school." Yui told her, "And yeah she is. Don't ask to go to her house, she only visits her parents twice a month. I think she's closer to her mom, than her dad."

"Why did she leave?" Mikan asked

"Well her parents used to play this game where they tried to buy her love, and Momo was getting crushed by it, because she had to watch them argue, you get the picture."

'That was nice of her grandma." Mikan answered

"Yeah her grandma is great." Yui nodded, "She's a little old fashioned, but she's nice."

"So what would get Momo shunned if anyone found out?"

"We all would." Yui answered, "Are you crazy? Girls keep up the perfect shallow families, because other girls would pick up on it and report to their parents which might result in other families taking over our families because they would see a weak link."

"So dog eat dog?"

"Yup, happens all the time." Yui answered

"oh my god, no wonder you guys act stupid." Mikan began

"See, now you get it. And that is why you were so odd, to not give a hoot. It doesn't matter now since you've assured the fact that no one can touch you. No one messes with the host club, you have to be suicidal to try."

"So I can keep acting like I do-" Mikan started

"Please, we can't have a fourth stupid girl in our group." Yui answered as she finished her one foot and started on her other, "And since that stunt you'll at least become a name whispered on the sidelines, but don't think that girls will bow to you."

"Don't think I would." Mikan answered

"Oh no. I'm sure you wouldn't, just warning. People like you because you have that appearance of not being a threat. I've seen you angry."

"Lucky me I don't get annoyed easily." Mikan commented, "So I guess that my disguise, to be the puppy."

"Yeah and people can accept your difference without targeting you." Yui answered, " Or ignore you very existence."

"I'll take puppy." Mikan answered

"So what's it like to hang out with them everyday?" Yui asked

"Weird. They are so crazy." Mikan started, "Tamaki is overly protective of Haruhi, the twins love to mess with him, Mori and Hunny are funny together."

"Mori never talks, do you think something's wrong with him?" Yui asked

"No. I think he's shy or he has nothing to say." Mikan shrugged, "Plus if he stated talking it would ruin his fan base."

"True, but I wonder if he was dropped as a baby-"

"Yui!"

"What! It could explain it, just as if Hunny was born a midget."

"He's just short, not a midget."

"He's a midget." Yui laughed

"Yui, so mean." Mikan scolded, "Kyoya is scary. You think he would be nice as he is to the girls. We call him the shadow king, and he does evil glint thing with glasses."

"I don't see it, but I'll take you word for it. Do the twins make out with each other?"

"No, but they are getting married next week, Karou pregnant with twins." Mikan answered, "He wants to be a good mother."

"What!" Yui asked, "So Hikaru is really a girl, but dresses as a boy? And is Karou fiancé?"

"No." Mikan answered, "It was a joke dear."

"Oh." Yui nodded, "I get it now."

"Good job." Mikan nodded again, "Hungry. Food?"

"Dinner should be ready by now." Yui answered as they left her room, heading down the twisted marble stair case. Mikan followed her to a formal dining room, as Yui rang a bell. Two maids appeared and bowed.

"Dinner please Mary." Yui called

"Yes Ms." The two maids bowed as they ran off. Yui went to the long oak table as she sat down in a colorful orange chair. Mikan glanced at the room with the ornate wall paper, the fine dining table, but the chairs were what stood out. There was a purple hand, a half orange bowl, a comfy chair. There were plates set out upside down or stacked.

"Yui what's with the chairs and the utensils?"

"Oh my mom. It's art apparently. She wanted to show that in a formal setting there is always the uniqueness about a room." She answered

"Ah bullshit." Mikan smiled

"You could say that, my father hired an interior decorator for most of the house, since he didn't want my mother changing the styles every time a new fad was discovered. He let her pick a few rooms that were just hers to change over and over again." Yui explained as the two maids returned with dishes setting them on the table, "Thank you Mary."

"Your Welcome Ms." They bowed backing away.

"I will never get used to that, are they both named Mary?" Mikan asked, "Toasted cheese?"

"Its what I love the most." Yui answered, "Yummy, yummy, cheese."

Mikan picked up her half, "Are these pickles and bacon?"

"Oh yeah, I can get you a plain one-'Yui started but Mikan had bit into the sandwich munching away.

"This is good." She pointed to the sandwich, "Wow, yummy."

"Really?" Yui started, "Sorry I wasn't sure. I can have them make something else, but I wasn't very hungry tonight."

"No comfort food is good enough for me." Mikan answered as she licked her fingers as she sipped at the cup of, "Fruit punch?"

"Yeah again sorry." Yui offered

"Nah. I'm good." Mikan sipped away, "Do you um, eat toasted cheese often?"

"No I usually eat what ever the chef special is, sometimes its swordfish, sometimes its roasted chicken sautéed in mushroom sauce-" Yui shrugged, "And it's not usually fruit punch, it's red wine."

"Wine?" Mikan started

"I developed a taste for that and cheap beer in England." Yui answered, "You sure pile through the drinks yourself?"

"Only because I was egged on by Kagame's bar friends." Mikan answered as she ate the rest of the sandwich. There was a silence between the munching noises that echoed off the high ceiling. Mikan pushed back the chair leaving her dishes, another strange thing.

Yui had been shocked when she found they cleared their own dishes, served and cooked their own food. Kagame had feed all of them on daily basis, without any help, no cook, no maids. That and her comment that Mikan did not live in a basement and fed moldy strips of bread by Kagame who was an evil witch.

They went back to Yui's room as she opened a cardboard book self, flipping on her TV.

"Japanese T.V is so weird." Mikan commented as she climbed on the bed, "Do you want to do homework yet?"

"In a minute, my drama is on.' Yui answered as she munched on the chips, "Can you understand everything their saying?"

"Yeah. My mom would speak Japanese around me when I was young so I picked up both languages pretty well. What about you?" Mikan asked

"Told you, school." Yui answered as she slid off her bed and went to a bottom drawer, "You like poky?"

"Love it." She answered picking out a stick, "Yummy."

They sat together quietly on the bed ,paying attention to the show mostly.

"Homework time." Mikan told her pulling up her books, "You got a lot."

'Enough.' Yui sighed, "I'm in so a hard math class and I'm taking an art class."

"Yeah, just hide your drawings." Mikan told her as she flipped through her notebook as she scribbled down notes, "You haven't told me about Rai."

"What's to tell?" She asked, "She lives in a nice house, has nice parents, and three older brothers. She's the only one with a normal family, besides maybe you."

"True. Do her brothers live at home?"

"Well the oldest is 23 and got his own place. He's studying to become some kind of doctor in Russia. The second oldest is graduating this spring from Ouran and will go to the university. The third oldest is a year above us." Yui answered, " He and Rai are pretty close, he's into sports, which is why I always end up going to all those sports events."

"And parties." Mikan offered

"Sometimes." Yui answered

Mikan finished sometime later, yawning, "I'm stealing some night pants."

"I don't wear night pants, you'll have to deal with a nigh tee."

Mikan pulled out the slip, "Damn you wear this to bed?" as she threw off her clothes and pulled on the dress.

"I'm feeling better. My stomach doesn't hurt, comfort food helped."

"Yeah! You won't puke on my floor." Yui answered, "Where are you going to sleep?"

"At the foot of you bed, just give me a blanket." Mikan answered as she curled up the lounge couch, "You want to watch what ever crap is on TV."

"Yeah.' Yui answered flipping it on.

Mikan fell asleep pretty quickly after that as she heard only the drone of the TV.

* * *

Lalallalalla. So no cliffhanger this time, I wonder what Mikan is going to dream about? You'll have to wait for the next chapter. Other announcement, I commence work of turning this into an online comic. Don't expect a cover until at least the summer I have college finals to worry about.

I love Yui and looks like Momo and Rai have lives outside the mall as well, gasp.

Please review and review, and review, and fav and or alert.


	27. The Firebird

Okay I'm back again. Figured this would be a good time for another update. The story is moving along nicely, and the arc continues for a few chapters yet. Holy Cows! Thanks to all the love I've been getting you guys are amazing, lets break 100 soon! Hehe! I'll give out virtual cake , I promise.

Yes this story is quite the monster, seeing as we haven't touched on Renge. If I went through every day of Mikan's life this thing would stretch a thousand chapters, thank god for author tools.

* * *

Chapter Twenty Seven

She was flying, she was soaring, she was landing in a large tree.

"Ow!" She yelled as she yanked herself out of the tree, it was full of gold apples.

"Who the hell grows a tree of apples made of gold?"

She glanced around brushing her self off as she realized she was in something that was like her firebird costume, but more elaborate. She glanced at her feet; she was in a pair of red Pointe shoes as she scratched her head.

"Strange." She murmured as she shrugged, picking up a gold apple, "Ohh, yummy. Yum. Yum. Yummy."

_The magical firebird as she was called sat in the lovely enchanted garden eating the golden apples. _

"Crap! Not the voices again!" Mikan began to scream as she ran around the tree in a panic.

_The firebird was doing an enchanting dance, she was the most amazing creature in the whole forest, for a smelly bird._

"Hey you want some of this you stupid voice! Bring it!" Mikan yelled out as she glanced around. It was a nice place, and her pointe shoes hadn't even gotten dirty.

She walked around slowly, picking up a few of the apples.

"What other creatures! I don't see anything!" She yelled out as she turned around and screamed shooting up into the air, 'Mori don't do that!"

It was Mori alright, but he looked different to say the least. He had a pair of wolf ears and a tail as he sat on his haunches looking up at her dressed in all grey.

"My friend the toothless wolf, what have you found?"

"Tamaki!" Mikan asked, "What are you doing here prancing around in tights?"

"I am Prince Ivan." Tamaki announced as he ran a hand through his blonde hair, smiling and posing as if someone could see him.

_Indeed it was the enchanting Prince Ivan who had been sent by his father, the Tsar, to fetch the thief who had stolen the golden apples from his garden. His sister, Katooska had gone to bed early for she had an early meeting to look over the kingdom finances and needed all her sleep. _

"Shut up voice! That's not how it goes! In the ballet Prince Ivan captures the bird in an enchating garden! He doesn't have a sister!"

_Your stupid bird! This is a blend between the original story and the ballet, shut up and wait to do what I tell you to. Now let him capture you so you can run away._

_"_What am I a damsel in distress!" She yelled back, "Hell no. Prince Ivan and this hairy smelly wolf can kiss my tail feathers. I'm not taken by anyone."

_The great big toothless wolf pounced on the mouthy bird and sat on her, until she would give the amazing, goregeous prince one her stupid, ugly feathers. _

"Oh so now there ugly feathers." She crossed her arms turning her back as Mori, the toothless wolf simply picked one from her back.

She hissed attacking him, "Give me back my feather! Did I say you could take that?"

Mori simply held her at bay by lifting over his shoulder as he handed the feather to Tamaki.

"Huzzah! I will take the bird to my father and show off to my stupid sister that their was no thief at all!" Tamaki cried

"No you won't!" Mikan answered flipping herself out of the lift, "Bye bye ugly prince. Don't bother calling on me!"

"Come back here!" The prince started, but Mikan was to fast.

_And so the prince had to return to his father to show the magical creature he had met in the garden and present the feather as proof with his friend the toothless wolf. The firebird continued her flight to the magic kingdom where she gave an apple to the lovely Tsarevna who sat reading a book on the ledge her golden hair falling down in curls. _

"What the heck is Antoinette doing in my dream?" Mikan asked as she shoved the girl in to the window.

"Oh firebird what news have you brought?" She asked

"There's a blonde idiot running around where I eat those apples. He molested my butt and I was assutled by his pet toothless wolf." Mikan answered, "Aren't you supposed to have like twelve other sisters or something?"

"Of course." Antoinette answered putting a whistle in her lips, "Line up ladies!"

Mikan watched as the twins, Haruhi, Hunny, Yui, Momo, and Rai rushed forward in a line.

"Sound off!" Antoinette ordered

"Anja!" Hikaru answered

"Annick!" Karou smiled

"Haruhi." Haruhi answered after minute, she had her nose buried in a book.

"Ten" Yui yelled

"Five!" Momo continued

"Forty-two!" Rai answered

"Did I miss the count off?" Hunny asked, "Awww."

"It's okay Halina." Antoinette patted his head.

"That was seven. Your missing five sisters!" Mikan pointed out.

"Did I miss something?" Kagame asked as she walked in, "Hey firebutt what's up?"

"Kagame!" Mikan asked

"Why do always call me that? It's Ira." Kagame answerd eating another gold apple, "These things are addictive."

_Yes it seemed there were three sisters missing due to medical reasons they could not appear for the sake for missing the epic final to Doctor Who season Three even though these three sisters, Colleen, Fay and Beth had seen it over three times. They opted to cheering on their favorite time lord in an epic marathon that had lasted over the course of three days. Thus could not be bothered with role call or what ever the stupid bird had brought, they didn't even like gold apples. _

"Hey! I want to watch Doctor Who!" Mikan argued, "I even got my sonic screw driver!" as she pulled out her magical sonic screw driver, "Why can't I go?"

"You were telling us of the news of the outside world, since we're forced to stay here because of the evil wizard, Koshcei the Deathless whose turned every knight to stone with his evil magic who has passed through these lands." Antoinette explained, "And we a wait a rescue."

"What! Why don't you just climb down the side of the castle, I'm sure Princess Colleen has got climbing gear."

"Yeah, but she has to wait five to ten days for delivery." Kagame pointed out, "Besides we live in the lap of luxury, boys sacrificing their lives for us, I could hardly get a boy friend to commit before this."

_So the princesses resigned to sit on the ground, except for the three who were absent, and listen to what the fire bird had to say. She spoke of the amazing prince who was goregeous, and kind, and had blond hair and blue eyes. He was tall, and brave, and had toothless wolf that served at his side at all times. _

_She told them of how she was going to file for a restraining order as soon as she finished the police report against the two of them, and that she was never going back to that stupid garden again for all the gold apples in the world._

_Yet she had to, because the apples were her life force and the only thing she could eat, besides cake, but Hunny as she kept calling Halina had eaten all and every cake that came to them. She then began to scream that the cake was a lie and throw a fit upon the floor, refusing to go again. _

_The other princesses returned to what they did during the day, which was mostly torment each other, because they got bored really easily, especially the twin princesses. Antoinette begged her to go again and bring the prince to them. _

_Kagame told her, she better bring a few other suitors, because there was no way she was sharing one prince with eight other sisters. _

"Fine." The firebird answered as she swung her legs out the window, "Hey I can't fly!"

"Bye bye Birdie!" The twins called as she plummeted out the window.

"That hurt!" She yelled up at them.

"We don't care, hurry up so we can go and listen to someone who is actually interesting."

Mikan glanced around spying a large, draft horse, that shook its great head at her.

"Bird riding a horse, not bad." She shrugged, climbing onto the beast back, "You look a lot like my horse, or one of them."

The horse gave a snort starting into a canter.

_Meanwhile Prince Ivan was being shamed by his father who thought he was lazy for letting the bird escape, until he showed the magical feather. His sister, Katooshka, looked at her stupid brother, examined the feather, and appraised its value as enough to support the kingdom for a year with out worry of over taxing the commoners. She then had the feather filed away for safe keeping and continued to work hard at figuring out everything for the kingdom._

_Seeing the value in the feather, the Tsar ordered, Prince Ivan to fetch him the whole bird, hoping that something would come out of having such a valuable animal. _

"Well we can use the feathers as surplus for our exports, and eliminate the competition as far valuables." His sister continued, "Best to kill the bird, and strip it of it feathers, so the price becomes more valuable."

"What! No! I cannot do that!" Prince Ivan argued with his evil sister, who simply ignored him coldly.

"Do you want to see this kingdom survive? And flourish? I do." She answered as she eyed the stupid Prince.

"But it's a magical creature, it's the most gorgeous thing in all the world-" He began

"It's right behind you." His sister finished.

"Wow, Kyoya you look good in a dress. It suits you." Mikan smiled.

"Kyoya? My name is Princess Katooshka, don't forget that bird." Kyoya told her, as she glared over her glasses

'No your Kyoya." Mikan shrugged, "Hey stupid prince my senior wants you to come with me on a dangerous journey to the castle of Koshchei the evil wizard, and rescue her and her twelve sisters."

"Twelve?" Kyoya ran the numbers over in his head, "Do they come from proper families? Breeding? Do they come from rich or poor lands?"

"I dunno." Mikan shrugged, "I'm just the messenger."

"Fine, gaurds kill the bird." Kyoya ordered with a wave of her hand.

"Ahh! Come firebird we must flee!' Tamaki answered grabbing Mikan as they raced out the caste. Mikan panted to keep up, "Tamaki this is hard to run in pointe shoes."

The guards had followed them surrounding them as Mikan easily leaped over them and their pointy weapons, as she jumped higher and higher to dodge them.

She was soon faced back to back with Tamaki.

"Alright Prince Ivan what now?" She demanded

"Uh. Uh. Halt I am Prince Ivan!" he yelled as the guard's rushed forward any way grabbing only Mikan and hauling her away.

"Good job prince stupid!" She called, "Hey if you guys are going to kill me, you better make it a fast death."

"Sister you cannot do this!" Tamaki yelled

"OH can't I." She called back from the high tower, "The Tsar is out across the sea on a business trip. I can do what I need to make this kingdom flourish."

"No!" He tired again, but it was to late. He had lost the firebird to the evil princess, "Now I will never be able to rescue any of the fine maidens."

_Yes it seemed hopeless for the stupid prince who had not thought ahead and booked his trip to the evil kingdom on expidea, which would have gotten him great rates. He had also lost the magical bird that was going to be killed for her feathers, and he would never be able to resuce the fair ladies. _

_He wandered dejected into town followed by his friend the toothless wolf, who sat beside him at a bar. He drank slowly to drown his woes in the cup of chocolate milk, he didn't like the taste of beer and it was to early for wine. The wolf had a glass of water and sat silently beside him. _

_He hoped silently for someone to come help him, he did not know how to save the magical fire bird from her certain death. He was approached by a figure in a cloak, which beckoned him to follow. _

_The wolf followed behind, as they entered a strange looking building. There were oddly dressed commoners, laughing at him as they gathered in droves on the sides. Some where sewing, some where drinking, some where playing chess, all of them staring and laughing as if they though something was funny. The prince wasn't afraid though, because he was the prince and he was amazing. Plus he had the wolf on his side. _

"Who are you?" a shadowy figured asked from a throne. Tamaki glanced around the strange place, that was much larger than he looked.

"I am Prince Ivan." He answered, "Now who are you?"

"I am, Jin, The Prince of Theives." He answered leaning forward as he ran a hand through his black hair, "Why have you come to me Prince Ivan?"

The wolf glared and growled at the Prince of Thieves.

"Hey wolf back off." Jin ordered, "So why have you come?"

Though before Tamaki could answer his friend had attacked Jin knocking him to the ground as he chewed on his arm.

"No bad wolf." Tamaki pulled his friend off, "Sorry he's never been like that."

"Yeah I'm sure." Jin brushed himself off, "This way."

"Nice place for a commoner." Tamaki complimented as he entered the ornate room and told his wolf to, "Sit and stay."

The wolf glared but sat outside the door as Jin slammed it shut.

"You were saying before we were interrupted?" Jin asked

"I need your help, the one who led me here said you were good at sneaking around."

"This is true." Jin agreed, "What? Someone steal a jewel?"

"No. My sister has imprisoned a magical firebird, and plans to kill her in the morning for her feathers. This firebird was supposed to lead me to twelve maidens."

"About yeah tall, big red feathers, big mouth, red Pointe shoes?" He asked, "Cant fly?"

"Yes." Tamaki nodded, "Do you know her?"

"No." Jin shook his head, "No. No. Never met in our life."

"Oh good so you don't mind helping do you?" Tamaki asked

Jin sighed, "No. I suppose not. What is your plan?"

_The stupid prince didn't have plan and so Jin decided they would simply approach the princess with a deal, for that is the best way to deal with princesses of the business nature, without a great deal of blood shed or heroism. However if the deal failed, they would wing it on the spot in hopes that something would come out of it. _

_Meanwhile the firebird sat in the scary princesses chambers, as she demanded to know everything about the silly bird, before she had to pay an exuberant amount in fee's to kill of the silly animal. _

"You know they haven't followed the story at all." Mikan began

"I beg your pardon." Kyoya began, "Are you quite well?"

"You don't hear it?" Mikan asked, "Damn. I am crazy. No the original fire bird story was Prince Ivan captured the fire bird, let it go, traveled to some magical kingdom, met the prettiest of the princesses, fell in love, had the fire bird make everyone dance so they fell asleep, and then destroyed the evil wizard's stone that was his heart, and everyone live happily ever after."

"That is most drab, and on that note how these events played are much more costly. I am glad that I will kill you for your feathers." Kyoya mused as Mikan eyed him warily.

"Okay why do you have to kill me!" Mikan cross her arms.

"Oh well, if you were kept alive you would breed, your feathers would go down in value. Kill you and strip you of the feathers, your vaule is set and goes higher as every feather is used."

"You don't need to kill me. I'm not really a bird." Mikan began

"Silence!"

Mikan lowered her head, "Did you really have to tether my leg?"

"You would fly away." She shrugged.

"Kyoya you're so strange." Mikan rolled her eyes as she stood up, prancing around on top her pointe shoes.

"Madame visitors!" The guard shouted

"Show them in."

Mikan glanced at the new comers, there was Tamaki still in tights with Mori still part wolf, and a oddly dressed boy as she realized it was Jin , "Hey Jin."

"Silence bird!"

"Milday we come with a deal." Jin began as Prince Ivan stood beside him with the tall toothless wolf.

"Speak it and be quick." She answered

"I-we ask that we are given three days to retrieve the maidens of this other kingdom. Think of it, the land of where this bird comes from is no doubt rich with jewels and gold and natural resources. You could receive a large percentage from the peoples and be able to control the lands and expand the kingdom twice fold. Worth more than one birds feathers."

Jin answered, "And if we do not return in three days, we will kill the bird and give you her feathers. She must come with us for she is the only one who knows the way."

"I like the way you think." Kyoya answered

"Then sign here, here, here." Jin replied producing a contract, "And here, initial here, signature there, and could you just get your finger print there. Ah thanks very much."

"Is that is?" She asked bored already.

"Well we need the bird." Jin began

"Very well." She snapped her fingers as the guard removed the gold rope.

"Huzzah! Freedom!" Mikan yelled, "Come on before she changes her mind."

_And so the four travelers set out, as the fire bird rode on the back of the prince's horse pointing him which way to go. There were many dangers, like sales at department stores, and flying undead fatty tuna slabs, and lots of other weird things. _

_They finally after two days of traveling made it to the evil castle, where they all wore shades to avoid being bewitched. The princesses had all come out to perform the scared rituals of eating nutella sandwiches under the bobo tree in the full moon. _

"MEN!" Kagame screamed as the girls rushed the three horses, though three of the princesses were still missing, because they were now watching season four of Doctor Who coupled with David Tennents in Hamlet so they were still missing.

"Oh fair prince!" Antoinette began, but Tamaki didn't even look at her as he rushed towards Haruhi.

"You are amazing!" He shouted spinning her around, "I will marry you! I will have you!"

"Eh! Leave our sister alone!' The twin's yelled yanking her away, "Stupid prince you are not worthy of her."

"Please! Please!" He kneeled, "I need to marry."

"I'm sorry I don't want to marry you." Haruhi answered as she walked away calmly and sat under the tree.

"What now?" Jin asked crossing his arms, 'And if your in trouble why are you all outside dancing?"

"Oh." Kagame explained after she quickly grew bored of the selection, "We're allowed to come out once a night and get down and boogie in the garden. We do a dance and then go back in side the castle. So that's prince Ivan?"

"Yes." He answered

"He acts like an idiot." She commented

"You have no idea.' He answered

"I'm sure I don't." She nodded, "Cute butt."

"He's so much younger than you."

"Call me a cougar. Rwar." Kagame answered

"Well since you don't love me," Antoinette began, "You're going to have to go destroy the stone from the evil sorcerer or we're be forced to stay here forever and ever."

"We have a day." Jin shook his head, "How the hell are we supposed to even get past the gate?"

"The firebird could perform a dance and force all to join with her, and then they would collapse from exhaustion and you would be free to destroy the stone." Antoinette answered,

"She means that you get the evil dude distracted long enough to get past the gates and destroy the stone." Kagame translated.

"Sound easy enough." Jin began

_But it wasn't it was very hard. The princesses after dancing the night away, had to return to the castle. The three travalers had slept in to much and got a late start. They tried rushing the gate, and a host of flying man eating slabs of fatty tuna attacked, followed by a host of screaming Twilight fan girls, and then giant fruit flies with five inch fangs. _

_The firebird was smart or maybe lazy enough to stay behind and was soon carried of by two evil twins who were working for the evil sorccer. _

"Actually they lured me off with a cookie." Mikan called, "This is the evil guy!"

"Yip!"

"Cho. You evil Papillion."

"Yip! Yip!" Cho answered spinning around on his hind legs in a little black cloak as his ears twitch.

_That's not the evil soreccer. Where's Koshcei the Deathless_? _Come on! Don't tell me he's on break. _

"Silence!"

"Hey Kyoya! Why are you now a guy?" Mikan asked

"I have always been of the male species." He answered, "I am Koshchei the Deathless, the Shadow King. Who are you magical bird?"

"The fire bird." She answered, "Listen I came because I wanted to do a dance for you tonight with my partner, Jin. But you have to open those gates to let us in."

"I am not an idiot." He commented, "I saw you in my magical pair of glasses. The Prince on a magical quest. Psh."

"Ah." She nodded, "Do you have a sister?"

"No." He replied, "Now what do you want? Speak quickly before I kill you."

"Sorry somebody already got a claim on that." She answered

Indeed the firebird was in a sticky situation, but thanks to her amazing skills at convincing, Koshchei the Deathless agreed to watch her dance. He dismissed her to the highest tower, where she would be forced to wait. Not a big deal as she simply jumped down to the ground and ran off to find the Prince's and the toothless wolf.

_ She was quite disappointed to find them sleeping. _

"We weren't sleeping!" Jin told her as Mikan stood tapping a foot, "What's going to happen now?"

"We're going to put on a show for him, a dance, and while he's distracted Prince Ivan will destroy the stone."

"Ah." He nodded

"Yeah! And then Princess Haruhi will love me forever!" Tamaki yelled

Mori the toothless wolf only stared and ate the piece of cake that the princess that looked like Hunny had given him.

_And it was quite a gathering, as all the princesses, except the three who were now re watching the two new season five doctor who episodes, came to see the dance of the firebird. _

_ The firebird, who was good at one thing, began a very lovely dance, and it wasn't long before Jin joined in to make it all that much more spectacular. Then there was a flash and the Firebird fell hurting her leg. There was a pause and the princesses suddenly celebrated, the evil Koshcei the Deathless clapped at the dramatic end. _

"He's supposed to be dead!" Mikan yelled as she stood back up her leg only hurting a bit, "Hey I didn't break it!'

"Yeah!" the cheers went u.

"But why isn't he dead?" Jin asked again

"Oh, well only a fool would keep his heart out of his chest where it can be protected at all times." He shrugged, as Tamaki stumbled back.

"There's no stone!" He called slightly fried, "There was a nice dragon.'

"Yes we call him Fluffy." Kagame answered

"Than what was this all about! What was the point!" Mikan demanded as the ground shook.

"For you to remember." He answered as the ground fell away.

She was standing in the hall. She was a little sick, she had left her books in the classroom. She was laughing though and happy as she hummed to herself.

Then there was a voice, something familiar, someone calling her.

"Mikan. It's been so long?"

And when she turned she knew who it was, slim like a ballerina, older though, and a fake smile. There was something wrong about her, she wasn't comfortable. She turned to walk away.

"Mikan don't run away. I only want to talk."

She ran, she ran as fast as her woozy legs would carry her. She couldn't work her mouth to force a scream as she stumbled into a vase knocking it to the floor.

"Mikan don't be afraid." The woman told her as there was something sharp in her side and it was distorted. A man, with brown hair, and brown eyes, strong upper body, dragged her as she walked.

"Mikan!"

She turned to see Tamaki and Kyoya in a panic. She wanted to be with them, she couldn' t reach them, his grip was to strong. He had her over his shoulder, he knew how to lift her, it hurt her hips, his hands were to big to do it properly.

"Who are you?" She asked

The woman came again, Mikan saw her reflection in the mirror, the firebird costume. Her firebird costume.

"Dance Mikan. Dance for what you took from me. Feel the pain at losing the only thing you ever dreamed of doing."

"No." Mikan cried suddenly as she woke up. She blinked she was Yui's room. She was just fine.

She closed her eyes again, as she slowly fell back asleep.

_The firebird had fallen asleep with everyone else because she was so tiered. The travelers headed back with the thirteen princesses, and Koshchei the Deathless signed a treaty agreeing to talks with Prince Ivan's father, the Tsar. _

_The evil princess however was not impressed, and ordered the fire bird to be killed._

"But why!" Jin demanded as Mikan was dragged to have her head cut off.

"Because." Princess Katooshaka answered, "I'm evil. I was never going to let her leave, the feathers are to valuable."

"Great! How am I going to get out this one voice!" Mikan demanded

There was a whooshing sound, as a blue telephone box appeared.

"What the hell is that!" Jin yelled

"The DOCTOR!" Mikan yelled

_Yes the magical telephone box, also known as the tardus appeared right as the ax was raised to chop of Mikan's head. There was a yell, well a couple yell's as the door opened._

"That is the last time Colleen gets to drive." Beth yelled as she climbed out in a brown trench coat, and her seahorse patterned converse.

"Agreed." Fay muttered adjusting her bra, as she glanced around, "Hey this isn't the bar in Ireland."

"Nope." Colleen shook her head, "Hey Doctor you alright?"

"Oh I've been better." He answered following out behind them as he glanced at the gawking people, "Hello I'm the doctor. Hey is that a fire bird."

_Yes it seems that three princesses finally decided to show up and help out after meeting the doctor and hi jacking the tardus. _

"Shut up voice!" Colleen yelled

"Oh good I'm not the only one hearing it." Fay answered, "Is your's

"Better yet, that's our friend." Beth explained, "Hey Mikan, why are you getting executed now?"

"For my feathers." She answered

"No. No. I bet it was mass murder." Colleen disagreed

"Lies. It was because she sucked up all the life force of the king. Right sweetie?" Fay continued.

"Ah. Well regardless it's illegal to kill the last of anything, unless it's done something evil." The Doctor explained walking foreword as he adjusted his trench coat, "You in control?

"Yes." Kyoya answered

"Ah. Well I'm sorry to say unless you release this bird you'll have to face the consequences."

"Guards!"

"Oh! Guards that is good." The doctor nodded, "Girls a brilliant plan is needed."

There was a long pause and laughter.

"Yeah sure.' Beth nodded as she helped Mikan up, "Come on Doctor lets just go."

"I don't need another traveler." He began

"Hurry up Doc!" Colleen demanded

"I'm coming you stubborn Shetland pony." He answered, "Never mind about the consequences, you'll just get a bill."

"Yeah Mikan gets to travel with us." Fay yelled as they closed the door to the Tardus.

"Sonic screw drivers unite!" Mikan yelled as they whipped out their sonic screwdrivers.

_And so it was a very happy ending. Prince Ivan continued to court Princess Haruhi, the princesses adjusted to their new home. Koshcei the Deathless_ _signed a peace treaty between the two kingdoms and freed all the knights he had turned to stone. Princess Katshooka when the Tsar returned was kicked out and became Peddler. She built it up to be a multi billion dollar company and moved across the sea. _

_The firebird traveled the universe with the tenth doctor and her three friends from the states and had many, many adventures. _

"Hey I still can't remember anything!" Mikan yelled at the voice

"Mikan! Mikan! Mikan!"

"Leave me alone! You stupid voice!" Mikan answered.

She opened her eyes sitting up as Yui glanced at her. She was on a couch; it had just been another dream.

"Hey Mikan sleep alright?"

"Yeah." She muttered, "Yeah."

"Come on. Up at them." Yui told her

"Hey Yui." Mikan started, "I think I remember something before I was given drugs. If I described someone to you, do you think you could draw them?'

"Yeah. Come by art class." She answered

"Will do." Mikan muttered standing up and stretching, "Will do."

* * *

Lalallalalla. You'll have to wait for the next chapter till next week. The firebird story is a combination of the actual story and the ballet which has many different versions so go check it out online.

Can you guess the mutiple references?

I'll give you a hint one is a famous british tv show.

Please review and review, and review, and fav and or alert.


	28. I'm Not Sorry

!102 REVIEWS! KEFNklnflksdnfwenfsn!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE REVIEWED SO FAR! I LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU MAKE IT ALL WORTH IT! PLease enjoy this chapter. Sink your teeth into it, savor it and then spew it all over the place when you read what the heck just happened? Don't be surprised if you break your neck doing a double take!!!!!

AND WE"RE JUST GETTING STARTED!

* * *

Chapter Twenty Eight IN WHICH EVERYTHING CHANGES!

"Mikan you look much better." Haruhi complimented

"Well a good weekend rest." She answered, "And I'm back at it. You'll never guess what happened though I got in the recital. I'm in the chorus, but I'm going to talk to the headmistress about being an understudy."

'That's great." Haruhi congratulated her.

The mess of the week before had faded quietly, the buzz of the topic was popular at the host club with girls asking Mikan about it, but all they got was a head cock or a yip. They finally stopped asking her and asked the hosts, the twins happily talked about it, she avoided the question with it didn't really matter, and Tamaki was wounded every time someone brought it up.

Mikan had recovered nicely, back to her usual bouncing self. She didn't speak of what had happened, she had passed it off as a prank gone wrong.

Haruhi wasn't so sure, but she didn't press the matter. Kyoya had asked her if she had noticed anything odd or been approached by a girl named Mya.

She had explained Mya's odd behavior, her few mutterings about Mikan being thrown out of Ouran, but she hadn't heard anything threatening about it.

Kyoya had a look that said, you have no idea, but she didn't read into it. Kyoya was always being mysterious.

"Tamaki! Who's a good boy? Whose a good boy?" Mikan cooed, it was the newest fad she had taken on.

Kyoya had encouraged her to branch out, Haruhi wasn't sure if making Tamaki sit, stay, or roll over was the best way. The girls seemed to laugh at the Lord who then could make Mikan leap, spin, and balance.

Mikan seemed to enjoy the trade off. It was odd to see her in the maid costume again, since of the short break from host club activities.

Haruhi turned her attention back to the other girls, who smiled.

"Where's Yui?" She asked

"Oh, she decided to be with Tamaki." Momo explained. Haruhi could recognize them by name now, along with some of her other regulars. It was strange Yui still kept her distance in the hall, but waved and said hello if they passed each other. She assumed it was some part of some un said rule book these girls followed.

"More tea?" Mikan asked cheerfully as she poured three cups at once, that rested calmly on her arm.

"Mikan don't spill-' Haruhi started

"I couldn't spill, I has perfect balance." She answered as she put the tea pot on her head, "See."

"Mikan." Haruhi covered her eyes, but Mikan ignored her skipping off and humming to herself.

"You see very happy today." Kyoya commented to her, as she poured him a cup which he took silently.

"Your welcome." She answered pouring some of the tea into her mouth, "And I am. I'm back in dance. I'm going to be on the stage."

"What's the production?" He asked

"Swan lake." She answered," I'm going to be one of the four little swans, but since Mya got the part of Odette, I'm going to see if I can be her understudy."

"Isn't that the lead?" He asked

"Yeah. Antoinette is playing the black swan. She played Oddette already." She answered, "Plus she's leaving this spring, and will be away later on."

"I will pretend I understood that." Kyoya answered, "How are you?"

"You've asked me everyday." She answered, "The same response, I'm fine."

"Em-hmm." He nodded

"What?" She crossed her arm.

"Mikan you were drugged and handled, it's alright if you feel residual anxiety." Kyoya answered

"I'm fine." She promised again, she had that look in her eye, that glint that she was hiding something, but she was a good liar, "Something going right dance wise, just let me enjoy it without worrying that some maniac is going to come after me with a machete."

"I doubt it. Too heavy." Kyoya answered

"Not going to even answers that." Mikan shook her head.

Kyoya watched her go, but he had that nagging feeling in the back of his head. There was always something going on beneath the surface, but his research had pulled nothing but a million articles on Mikan and her fall from potential glory. There had been one repeating name Natacha Dorogoi who at the time had been competition for the same position and had not been offered it again even after Mikan's accident.

If he had known Mikan would be this much drama when he offered the position, he wondered if he would have still hired on. She worked as hard as usual, and she made the costumers come as always, perhaps even more.

He pushed it from his mind, they would never get rid of the puppy, until the host club ended, and that hopefully would not be for a while yet.

"Hey! That's my tea cup."

"No puppy do a trick and you can have the tea cup!' The twins answered holding it over her head.

She laughed, licking Karou's cheek instead, "That's for you. Now mine."

She grasped from his hand as the twins laughed patting her head.

"Silly puppy." They teased, "Don't break a leg eh! We're not carrying your around again."

'Pft." She answered, "Like I would let you.'

"You would beg us." They called

"Maybe if I got on my knees." She answered skipping away, 'Hi Hunny. The cake is a lie."

"But I like my cake!" Hunny cried, "I really do like my cake. Mori why is the cake a lie."

"Yeah mori why?" Mikan asked grabbing a plate and taking a bite.

Mori shrugged.

"Hey stop not talking." Mikan giggled patting his head, as she poured tea for the girls who thanked her softly, "Hunny remember to do a couple laps, I don't want to be rolling you by the end of the year."

"Ahh!" Hunny screamed again as Mori shook his head at Mikan, "I'm glad the puppy is happy again."

"Ah." Mori answered

"We are to Hunny-san." One of the girls started

"We have not seen her this happy in such a long time." Another started

"Mori-san where did you learn to lift girls like that?"

"Ah." He shrugged

"Mori is really strong." Hunny answered, "Would you like some more cake?"

"No we're good." They answered together.

"Mori why is Mikan so happy?"

Mori blinked and pointed to the cake as he took a bite.

"Mori san do you think dancers are like graceful swans?"

"Ah." He answered

"I like swans." Hunny answered, "I want a swan to raise. There so cute when there little, or maybe a bunny like my bunny. Do you think I can get a pink bunny?"

The girls giggled distracted from the subject of the puppy. Everyone asked about the puppy, but no one asked the puppy.

"Mikan!" Yui called from Tamaki's side, "Tamaki says that you've become something of a celebrity at school."

"No." She answered, "I'm just Mikan." as she poured the tea smiling still.

"She never admits to it." Yui answered, "Did you see that?"

"How could we not?" another girl answered

"Mya hasn't been to the host club in awhile." Someone else commented

"I didn't know she attended the host club."Yui picked up a cookie as she dunked in the tea. Tamaki-sempi was a lot more amusing than Haruhi, he was always jumping on topics to. She missed Haruhi's quiet charm though.

"Yui are you dunking your cookie?"

"Commoner trick." She answered popping it her mouth, "Puppy taught it to me."

"Wow." The girls nodded to each other, "Tamaki-sempi are enjoying the weather. It will be spring soon."

"Ah yes. I cannot wait , for spring is the time for love." He answered, "And bloosming flowers."

"Oh." They cooed and swayed.

"Tamaki-sempi, do you like the spring or the summer more?" Yui asked generally curious.

"Which ever one you prefer more." He purred as he touched her arm.

She blushed and smiled, "I asked the question, you answer. Besides I like fall."

"Oh, then summer." he answered as he retracted.

She nodded, munching on another cookie, maybe it was the twins she liked more.

Mikan glanced at the clock impatient as the girls began to leave. She had cups to clean as she ran around the room scooping up the plates and cups in her hands and running to wash them.

"Haurhi! Help now!" She demanded as Haruhi nodded following her.

"Here you wash I need to change." Mikan began to throw her clothes off, pulling out her bag.

Haruhi only shook her head, 'You better hope no one walks in."

"Please." Mikan answered as she pulled on her tights and leo tard. She yanked out the pigtails, as she ran a brush through the unruly mess, putting on a hair net.

"What's with the hair net?" Haruhi asked

"Better bun." she answered, "They make them in different colors so I got one to match my hair."

"Ah. Why are you in such a rush today?"

"Rehersal." She explained quickly, "Can't be late for warm up."

"Do you warm up on stage?" Haruhi started

"Ehm, hmm." Mikan nodded, 'Have to. Class room is only so big and we try and do dry run throughs on stage before we even learn the whole dance. We all know the coregrpahy by heart, everyone has had swan lake."

"Oh." Haruhi answered, "Swan lake? Sounds familiar."

"Russian ballet. Tradgey. Famous for the dying swan and the four little swans." Mikan explained as she pulled on her pointe shoes and leg warmers wrapping a black skirt around her waist.

"Oh." Haruhi answered as Mikan quickly joined in.

"I can still you give you a ride home, unless you don't want to wait around." Mikan offered

"No Yui say she could take me." Haruhi answered

"Yui? My yui? When did you meet her?"

"Oh we talked while you threw up." Haruhi answered, "She's nice."

"Yeah. Cool." Mikan nodded, "Huzzah dishes are done. Alright see you tommorow."

"Bye Mikan." Haruhi waved taking the cups and putting them away in their proper place. The host club room was already empty the other members had already left for the day.

"Haruhi!'

"Hey Yui." She waved picking up her bag, "Thank you for this."

"Of course." Yui nodded, "I have never been by a commoner's house."

"Well its not much." Haruhi shrugged as she followed her friend out. She supposed she could call Yui a friend at least out side of school. They had that rule book to abide to here inside the walls of Ouran.

She climbed into the small car, "You don't take a limo?"

"I don't like them.' Yui answered, "TO flashy. Driver to-"

Haruhi told the address as the car pulled out, "Mikan is better."

"Oh I saw." Yui answered with a nod, "You know I don't find this odd at all, riding home with a host club member."

"I'm just Haruhi outside of school." She shrugged, "What should be odd about it?"

"Sorry." Yui apologized. They passed the time in silence, as Haruhi spotted her house.

"This is it. Thank you again." She called

"Any time." Yui replied as the car pulled away.

It was a little odd, but as long as no one saw them, there was no harm in it. Besides it was not like she was someone like Tamaki-sempi, she didn't have people obessed over her. No there was nothing wrong with being friends with Yui.

* * *

"And one and two and one and two."

Mikan watch from back stage as the chorus began to warm up, she was still trying to escape from Jin's tight embrace.

"You left me for way to long." He argued

"I just saw you a week ago." Mikan answered as she pushed away. She didn't need to risk any hug injuries.

'For the first time since well New York, and no internet does not count." as he thumped her head, "You know I have to keep up appearances around here, these girls jump on anything."

"You don't need to tell me." Mikan crossed her arms. It felt good to be here. It felt right in her shoes, with fresh ribbons with the smell of hairspray, with the bandages and tape and skirts and chatter. It was home for her.

"So I'm going to be an under study." She announced as she glanced at him with a half smile. It wasn't that she was upset, well okay maybe a little, okay a lot, that she didn't make the try outs because of her damn addled condition. She had managed to beg and plead with her teacher who had an in with the company director to let her at least be an understudy. She threatened to hold onto the woman's leg and make her drag her around until she agreed to talk to her. It worked though.

"For who?" He asked

"No idea." She shrugged as she shifted the straps of her leotard, "Has Mya made her appearance yet?"

"No not yet. We missed you in the winter recital."

"I had a sprained leg." She answered looking away, "Couldn't be helped."

She had avoided the winter recital like the plague, it would have been horrible to watch Mya with her smug statisfaction like some up tight bitch, oh wait, Mikan thought she was one. She shook her head, she was reading to far in to it. It didn't matter, not really.

"Of course." He nodded, "Your sister has already made her rounds."

Mikan shook her head; she couldn't understand why Kagame always popped in out of nowhere, with Kyoya no less. He seemed rather at ease with the dancers, then again most of the dancers were commoners and posed to threat to his status. He probably has a basic file on each of them and could name their blood type if asked.

She rolled his eyes, "How long has she been at it?'

"She still trying to get into Jake's pants." Jin offered, "I don't she ever gave up one him."

"He was a good guy." Mikan answered remembering one of Kagame's early exploits, 'He was number five, and early one."

"She's such a little slut." Jin smiled, "IN that good way." he added a little to quickly.

"Yeah in that Kagame way." Mikan answered knowing her sisters tendecies to attract boys like flies on honey though flies would have stayed longer, "So fill in on the drama."

He began to recount who had dropped out, who hated who, who had moved, who had been accepted into a different program, who had given up dance all together.

"The patrons have more of a say here." Jin added. His tone came as a warning, and off shoot of what she should keep a heads up for.

"That's odd." Mikan commented. Sure patrons could run a studio or back a favorite dance, it was all part of the politics of the company. For them to have so much control as Jin seemed worried though was making it seem as if Ouran was more like the Godfather only with ballet dancers.

"So they say." He nodded, "But here the theatre runs on their donations and so they in turn get a say in what we produce who dances, etc."

"How un biased." Mikan commented. So that was it, money, it was came down to money. Ouran seemed to be the best at everything, it wanted to show case the best, even if most the dancers were commoners. That was ironic considering the history dance the royals would always watch commoners for entertainment, some kind of poetic justice.

"It doesn't matter." He shrugged, "Most of the time the position's and leads are set, so it's not a big deal."

"Says he who carries the company." Mikan rolled her eyes as she ran out on to the stage joining the other girls at the bar. She loved Jin, but he had a big head and a good heart that usually became inflated with each new level of drama. He was cool about, but she knew he had more tabs that a bill at a bar.

She went through the warm up, with no problem, she knew every step by heart as she raised her arm, pointed her foot.

The music played softly as they continued, Mikan counted in her head. She spied Kagame talking to Jin as she waved to Mikan.

Mikan smiled as she could have sworn she saw Kyoya as well, but what would the shadow king be doing at her rehersal?

She shuddered to think what that could mean as she switched side, putting her leg on the bar to stretch it. She saw some of the new younger recrutis, that wouldn't become part of the company until after middle school. They warmed up with the chorus though, and would have minor side stage parts to get a feel for everything.

She glanced again at Kagame, god what she wouldn't pay to hear what they were saying.

"So far nothing bad." Kagame smiled crossing her arms, "Why did you want to come again Kyoya?"

"Why not?" He shrugged pulling out his pad, "I've decided that despite my information gathering skills, I can't always get what I need from my files."

"Gasp, does that mean I win?" Kagame smiled, feeling some odd accomplishment at this sudden victory "I feel flattered."

"Don't get ahead of yourself." He warned eyeing her with that usual glare of the glasses that sent most people packing. She was Kagame though, and she sent the glare packing instead.

"Please when have I done that?" She answered rolling her eyes and tossing her hair.

"I can count a few." Jin smiled as he walked over.

"Oh no you don't." Kagame eyed him, he always did have a nice body like all the other dancers she had ever been with, "Hey Jin what do you know about Natacha Dorogoi?"

"What do you want to know?" He answered as if offering her a cheese platter of the greatest parts of the gossip, and he only knew which ones were the best.

"Don't play games." She crossed her arms as she scolded him lightly.

"It would help us." Kyoya explained as he stepped forward dawning his air of don't fuck with me I have a note pad aura that he got in these information sessions "And since you are a dancer-"

"Alright I get it." Jin rolled his eyes as he ran away saying something that sounded like, "Assumptions. Assumptions."

He returned a moment later with what looked like a book bag as he pulled out a pile of paper, "Here you go."

Kyoya glanced at the stack of papers, "Jin?"

The mild shock was not hidden behind his otherwise cool gaze that would put an ice cube to shame.

"What? Can't I gather information on potential patrons to support my own company when I have to retire from the stage?" He asked as if insulted.

Kagame slapped a hand to here face, shaking her head, "Jin. I can't believe you."

Well no that was a lie. She could and she did, and after the things she had seen Jin know about people, Kyoya had been no surprise. It was like the two were separated at birth, only Jin had longer, better hair, a bit more lanky, and no bad eye sight.

"Quiet evil Guinness." He answered smiling as if the title was something he had officially been given by the office of evil in the head quarters of evildome. Kagame was pretty sure

Kyoya had a piece of paper from the same place.

"No. No. Evil yes. Guinness no." Kagame answered as Kyoya shifted through the various papers. She couldn't let him win that much against her. She needed to keep her status above both of them. She was the Goddess after all.

"This is amazing. You have all her files, right down to parking tickets in New York." Kyoya was in awe.

"I try." Jin answered as if he wasn't smug about the whole affair at all. Oh no, he would pass it off as if it was a walk in the park getting everything.

"This will take me few days to sort through." Kyoya began

"Stuff on top is her ballet records stuff on the bottom is personal." Jin explained

"What happened to boundries?' Kagame asked knowing full well there was no such thing.

"You don't want to see the file I have on Mikan." Jin answered

"I do." Kyoya muttered, "You think you could do one on Kagame."

Smack! That was it. She had enough.

"Stupid boys!" Kagame muttered stomping off as Kyoya grinned with Jin.

"She just doesn't appreciate the fine art of information gathering." Jin shrugged as Kyoya nodded pushing up his glasses.

"Who is this Caine White? He seems to pop a lot in her files." Kyoya started as he noticed the same highlighted name over and over. Natacha sure got around New York City, and Tokyo and her native Russia.

"Her ex partner, they used to date." Jin answered, "I have much small file on him." as he seemed to pull a file out of no where.

He was handsome, with a strong face, strong body, less lean that most dancers, and tall with brown hair and brown eyes, paired with Natacha the Russian bueaty, they would have been a star pair.

"They broke up?" Kyoya asked not really caring to know the personal details.

"Dancers dating dancers is not always the best thing." Jin answered, "Trust me I know."

"Ah." Kyoya nodded eyeing Jin, "You know you seem to have a past. I was checking your own information."

"Really?" Jin asked as if he was waiting for Kyoya to start naming half the things he did only to smile like he had done twice as much, "Well maybe that's because I've guarded all my information."

Kyoya felt his face fall as he eyed Jin, "How do I know you weren't the one to drug Mikan?"

"Let's just say, we had a thing." Jin shrugged as his glance told Kyoya be wary of where the heck you stick your nose, "Like I said dancers and dancers don't work."

Kyoya raised his head as he stared out at Mikan who seemed to be helping a fellow dancer with a position, "Right."

There was a sudden yelp as he distintcally heard someone crying. The dancer Mikan had been helping out was sobbing hysterically as Mya stood above her, her lips twisted in a smile or maybe a scowl.

"I don't know why mom lets it this trash. She couldn't hold a first position if she tried." Mya was saying loudly, as the girl shoved her face into her hands and ran off the stage in tears.

"What the hell Mya." Mikan snapped as the fellow dancers stopped and looked at the pair.

"Mikan-"  
"Don't." Mikan warned glancing at the girl who backed off, "You know Mya I never really got you, but know I do. You are just jealous. You know that your not as good as a dancer as I am. You know that and so you try and get at me."

"The only reason you got in here is because your Mom got rich. Everyone knows since Julliard and the scandal with Jin no studio would take you." Mya answered

"I fell of a stage, I dated a dancer." Mikan argued, "Where's the scandal in that? I had to leave dance because of my injuries."

"You followed me to Japan. Your stealing my spot light."

"Oh yeah. Is this because I'm your understudy?" Mikan asked suddenly getting close to Mya's face, "Is it?"

"Get away!" Mya shoved her, "Go play fetch with your man whores."

"Their not man whores." Mikan yelled back

"Yeah then why do you let dress you up." Mya argued, "Your nothing but a bitch. Everyone in the studio knows it, you act sweet, but you put glass in someone's shoes to get the part."

"Do you see me bullying dancers?" Mikan answered, "I worked to get here. I didn't suck Mama's ass to get my position."

"Oh no you just paid her off, to let you in late." Mya answered, "Or maybe it's because Kagame slept with her ex husband."

"Bitch!" Mikan yelled shoving her back.

"Whore!" Mya answered

"Everyone knows that you only-get-every-god-damn lead because of your mother's kiss assign tendencies to the damn patrons, and the fact that you throw a fit if you don't get what you want." Mikan yelled," Don't you dare try and pull like that again."

Slap!

"Learn your place!" Mya answered

"Shouldn't have done that." Mikan warned as she pulled out Mya's bun letting the bobby pins fly.

Mya screamed shoving her back against the bar as Mikan stumbled. The girls had fled the stage letting the two rivals duke it out. It was quiet, because no one was going to get into the middle of that fight. There was more screaming as Mikan managed to rip a chunk of Mya's already short hair.

"Break it up!" Kagame ordered as her voice thundered around the hall, "Mya get a hold of yourself. This is not how the lead dancer acts, you want this part than dance it, don't go beat up on other dancers."

"Oh says the little bitch who slept with every lead dancer in New York." Mya spat.

There was a pause as Kagame's face darkended and her fist came back and

Wham!

Mya screamed as she held her face, "My eye!"

She had a lovely black eye forming as she stumbled back.

"You listen here, you pull something like that again, and I'll knock one of those shiny teeth." Kagame hissed, as she pulled Mikan off the stage, by the back of her neck saying all the wile "And you should know better."

"Fuck you." Mikan answered shoving her sister away as she ran into the wings. She rushed past the girls who quickly got out her way and stood to the sides. There was going to be huge repercussion to deal with by the end of it, but Kagame was angry enough to bite off the next person's ear.

That little bitch was bringing up age old rumors that didn't need to see the light of day. Mya didn't get a bunch of shit everytime she went out with a dancer, she didn't have to deal with the reporters following after her everytime she tried to get a bite to eat with a boyfriend.

"Mikan." Jin started after her as Kyoya eyed a fuming Kagame almost curious.

"Every male lead-" He started as she grabbed him by the collar.

"Kyoya-this close." She warned, "This close. Come on, lets get out of here before I throw someone off the stage."

Kyoya looked for Jin, but all he saw was the ballerina's forming tight groups of whispers.

"Kagame where did Mikan go?" He asked as soon as he was sure it was safe

"Probably back stage, that girl just brings out the worst in me sometimes." Kagame fumed, "I was justified in punching her, don't forget that."

"I won't." Kyoya answered as he sighed, "Lets go by the stables. You can go be with some of the finer thourghbreds. Horses seem to calm you."

"No, they make me smelly, but they don't judge." Kagame answered, "As long as I give them sugar."

They made their way quickly to the outside. The weather had begun to improve as the snow had mostly melted off the grass besides a few patches. The wind was still nippy. They followed the path from the theatre, it was going to be a long walk. Kagame seemed to be softly seething, as her fists clenched and her teeth gritted against each was comtemplating how slowly she could roast Mikan for being stupid enough to give in. Mya had it coming, breaking a young dancers dream and then trying to start something with Mikan. It wasn't enough to have a girl fight, but then again Mya always did have it coming.

"So, what are we going to do about Mikan and Mya?" Kyoya began, "They can't keep trying to kill each other."

"It's something she'll have to face with every company. There can only be one star dancer." Kagame answered, "And there is no we, there is us, you make it sound like we're parents raising a kid."

"Maybe we are but it's easier since she's a puppy." Kyoya answered

Smack.

"We are not going there, wrong sick thoughts."Kagame told him as she stuck her hands in her pockets. She was wearing clothes today as odd as that was for her, as she shivered despite herself. The long scarf trailed in the wind as they pushed on. It was too cold to be angry for long out here. There would be whispers, probably something to do with community service. It would all be kept private, no director wanted a scandal, no director, unless they were stupid.

"So, were does Mikan want to go?" Kyoya asked after another minute had passed.

"Joining Ouran was the most stable thing she could do and she really like the school besides that. She knew if she got into the theatre program it could jump start her back into a company by senior year." Kagame explained, "Of course we didn't know Mya went here when we did that."

"Are you worried?" Kyoya started

Kagame gave a thoughtful pause, "Nope. Not at all. I figured my Mom will give them hell fire if they try and pull anything, you don't want to see my mom angry."

Kyoya shuddered, "I'm guessing your mother does not have a quiet anger."

"She'll ram a boot up your ass if you look at us the wrong way." Kagame answered letting the wind run through her hair, "Almost there."

The stables which sat farther away from the main school, housed over forty horses, twenty of them belonging to the show team that Ouran hosted of the best riders, and others for classes. It was an elective to learn show technique to avoid more gym class.

The three main rings were used in the spring and summer, with one separate for the jumping course, and two indoor rings heated in the other main barn for the winter practice. The team should be out today at a competition so it wouldn't be a problem for them to come say hello to the others. Kagame heard the wild knicker of a horse, as if it was rearing or fighting something. She took off running to the sound, it could be a stupid novice and nothing was more painful than getting kicked by an angry horse. She knew from fist hand experience with the sore spots on her ribs.

"Hey! Kagame!" Kyoya yelled after her as they rounded the corner of the barn to get the front doors, but a horse burst through first knocking them back. Kagame panted climbing up as she took after the horse. Kyoya peered inside the barn, as a man seemed to brush himself off, "Was that your horse?"

The man heard the question and took off running the other way, "HEY!"

He was torn, did he chase after the stranger or Kagame and the wild horse? He pulled out his cell phone instead, "Security? There's been a breech on campus at the stables. Male, about 5'9, I didn't see his face. No no one's been hurt."

There was a scream and another wild neigh from the horse as he slammed the phone shut. This day just kept getting better as he carried the heavy stack of papers with his pad, over the grounds as the wind hissed against him.

"Kagame?" He called running through the snow, as he saw her holding the halter of the horse that had run widly out the barn. He recognized it immediately, SpiritTracks, the champion five years in a row at Ouran's home competition.

"Call an ambulance." Kagame told him as she panted holding onto the horse who still pranced and snorted, "Mya got run over. Her wrist is snapped."

The moaning and screams were coming from Mya with her black eye, and now hurt wrist as she lay in the snow. She was in her ballet clothes, but had the foresight to put on pants and a jacket and shoes so she wasn't at risk of freezing to death anytime soon.

Kyoya kneeled next to Mya who seem to wither in pain, "Mya. My name is Kyoya, I've studied medicine, and your wrist is broken. The pain is probably going to last until we can get you to the hospital. What are you doing out here?"

"I heard someone call my name." She sobbed, "So I went to see, and this stupid horse came out of no where."

"Okay." Kyoya sighed pulling out his phone dialing the number. This smelled of a brewing lawsuit for the head master and Spirit Tracks owner. What a mess. He hoped Mikan was fairing better.

* * *

"Argh!" Mikan screamed as she hit the punching bag over and over and over again, "Take that and this. That and this." It swung harder as she kicked it harder.  
"Mika-chan!"

Wham! Thump! The punching bag had managed to knock her to the ground.

"Oomph!" Mikan muttered, "Honey? Mori what are you two doing here?"

"Practice." Honey answered in his white robe, "What are you doing here?"

"Getting out my anger." She answered as she stood back up. She adjusted her tights again, she loved when she had holes so she could pull them up over her feet.  
"Did something happen?" Honey asked as he watched her attack the bag again and again and again.

"Yeah. You could say that." She nodded as she punched it again and again.

"What happened Mika-chan?" Honey pushed as he stood beside her now.

"I got into a stupid fight with a stupid girl and I'm just really really annoyed." She answered sitting down on the ground as she rubbed her wrist, "Sorry."

"It's okay." Honey answered as he sat beside her. Mori had paused the punching bag and simply stood behind Honey as silent as a staute.

Her hair was a mess and her eyes were puffy from the tears she had been crying as she sat with Jin backstage. Mya had touched some deep wounds.

"Have you gotten out all your anger?" Jin asked as he watched Mikan.

"Yeah Jin you can come over." She told him as Jin walked over calmly.

"Mori . Honey. This is a friend from dance, this is Jin." She gestured to him as she panted. "Nice to meet you." Jin smiled as the tall guy, Mori, seemed to grip his hand a little to hard, but his expression didn't change.

"Are you Mika-chan's boyfriend?" Honey asked as Jin exchanged a glance with Mikan and they both laughed. It was nice to have something lighten the situation. She wasn't going to even try to explain to any of the host club what had gone on today. She kept them separate from the rest of her life.

"Not even close." Mikan assured him as she stretched, "Should we go back to practice?"

She really didn't want to. She didn't want to apologize to Mya, not that she should even have to. She didn't want to deal with gossip and girls and shit. She wanted to bury her hand in the sand and run away and scream and make it all go away. She wanted something to go her way for once.

'Probably." Jin nodded helping her up. She brushed of her butt as she managed to re arrange her hair well enough so that it pulled of a half decent bun.

"I want to come." Honey begged leaping into her arms as she caught him with little grace, stumbling back wards. He was a heavy kid for someone so small. It was probably all the cake he ate.

"Honey don't you have practice?" Mikan eyed him as he leaned back wrapping his arms around her neck.

"No." He shook his head.

"Ah." Was Mori's answer as he took Honey from her arms and put him on his shoulders.

"Awww Mori!" Honey complained as the giant walked off without another word.

"What not even a good bye!' Mikan demanded as she put her hands on her hips. Her lips were twisted into a smile as she felt her spirits rise just a little bit. Mori was always nice to be around, he didn't pester her.

"Bye." Mori answered as Mikan smiled.

"Wahoo! Mori said something! Way to go Honey, next time we'll see if we can get him to say a sentence." Mikan called after them as Honey said something, but she didn't manage to catch it. She snorted turning back to Jin, "Boyfriend! Yeah right."

The walk was short and quiet as they made their way back to the theatre. She could see students swarming on the grounds in large bubbles as if something was going on. She dimissed it though, seemingly Ouran always had something going on. It really didn't matter to her, as long as she wasn't caught in the onslaught of the crowd.

She glanced again it was rather unsual to see so many students though who looked like they had gathered without a reason besides something that happened four minutes ago.

Mikan had hardly made it through the front door, when she was attacked.

"Mikan! Mikan! Did you really intend to kill Mya with that horse?"

"Mikan! Are you going to stop now that she's been hospitalized!"

"Mikan is it true this isn't the first time you've attacked a fellow dancer?"

"WHAT IS THIS! TWENTY QUESITON!" Jin yelled as the dancers fell silent. They weren't in their dance clothes, but regular clothes with their bags, "Out of all of you. Shouldn't you be at rehearsal?"

"Rehearsal was cancelled." Someone said quietly. Jin was looked on something as a God among the other dancers, he had reached some kind of major level of respect that the others just couldn't command.

"Jin." Antoinette came to him from the crowd, she had changed to, "Come on."

"Come on Mikan." Jin ordered and as soon as they were far enough away asked, "Antoinette what's this all about?"

"Mya's claiming that Mikan tried to kill her. She's screaming about how she paid her sister to set a wild horse on her." Antoinette started as she seemed to be on the verge of crying, "The police want to question her, it's a big mess."

"What the hell we're gone for maybe twenty minutes and Mikan's being accused on homicide." Jin demanded as Mikan laughed and shrugged. What could she say? She was going to have to explain to the police about how she was just working out anger, not to mention the past she and Mya shared- well no that didn't need to be said. Mya if she was hurt by the horse, which she was wondering how the hell that one had happened, was probably either on pain meds or in extreme pain and was going to scream out anything she could.

"That's kind of funny, but I have an alibi." She answered, "I was at the dojo, beating a punching bag. I didn't even know Ouran had a stable.

"Well the headmistress wants to see you." Antoinette answered after a minute, "That's why she cancelled practice."

Mikan rolled her eyes as Jin laughed, "Oh boy someone's going to get beaten with a pointe shoe."

That was odd as well, then again news traveled at the speed of light at this school. It would explain why all the girls and guys had gathered outside. She was sure the headmistress would want to see her, maybe to talk about the thing with the firebird and of course why her daughter was screaming that she was trying to kill her.

"If I come out with bruises I want you guys to stand as witness." Mikan answered, but Antoinette didn't smile or laugh with them. MIkan knew the pair of oak doors well; they reminded her of when she had been called to the head masters.

"Good luck." Jin smiled as he watched Mikan disappear, "Now what's this all about Mikan?"

"Jin." Antoinette started, "I think you should sit down."

"Antoinette tell me what's going on." His voice contained an edge to it.

"Mya's mother is connected to those patrons because she owes hundreds of favors. The patron' s favorite is Mya. What do you think is going to happen?

"What?" Jin started, "You think May is lying to get back at Mikan. There aren't going to be any charges, there's to much proof that Mikan was no where near the stables, not to mention she didn't even know they existed."

"Well of course their bull shit." Antoinette answered, "This has happened in what the span of twenty or so minutes? I know that, but you know how this system works."

"They wouldn't dare." Jin began as Antoinette shook her head. He didn't want to believe that as the oak door creaked open as Mikan silently walked out a letter in her shaking hand. It had been all of a few seconds as she seemed to hold a quiet gaze in her eyes.

She had already begun to cry as the tear slid down her face. Jin recongonzied with a look of horror on his face why Antoinette had been so worried, he suddenly understood what was happening, why the headmistress would call them and not a teacher.

"I'm expelled." She said softly as she held up the letter with the words, and the sealed mark with the signature of the headmistress, "I can't dance at Ouran anymore."

"Mikan." He started, but she ran past him, "MIKAN!"

She was gone. She was running faster and faster down the hall as the ringing of her name being called by him only out lasted the words she had heard of the headmistresses lips.

"You are expelled."

It wasn't happening to her. It was some horrible waking nightmare and she would wake up and find Tamaki panicing and the twins making jokes and she would find out she had done something stupid again.

Expelled. Expelled. She heard it ring over and over in her head as she wanted to scream. She wanted it to end. Damn Mya! Damn Kagame! Damn them All!

She wanted to scream. She needed something anything to hold.

She ran until she hit something with a thump as the rush of cool air hit her face. She saw white as she stared up into the strangers face.

"Mikan." She heard him say her name as she pulled herself up and e rushed into his arms sobbing.

This is what she needed. Just someone to listen. Just someone to listen.

* * *

Jin glared at her as he threw open the oak doors and marched up to the desk, "WHY!"

He had tried running after Mikan, but Antoinette had a screaming Kagame trying to rip into the headmistresses office. It was Kyoya who managed to finally pull her away as she screamed and swore. He had never seen a woman respond so fast to a cell phone call, but she hadn't been to far away when she got it. She had panted and looked red in the face as she tried for the double doors.

Someone had to find out why.

"I beg your pardon." The head mistress demanded as she sat behind it like nothing had just happened. He could see the glossy piece of paper in her hand, as she seemed to smile. The letter that every dance dreaded, the letter that seal their fates.

"Tell me now." He demanded as he thumped a fist onto the desk.

"Your forget your place." She answered coolly as she tucked one neat strand of black hair behind her ear, "Do you want to end up like Ms. Tanaka?"

How many times had he, stood before her desk in a fury with fists clenched at her choices. How many dancers' dreams had she beaten down? How many times had he had to sit and bear it so he could keep his place within this company?

This theatre was run on lies and gossip, the dance didn't matter, and it was the politics, the scandal. He couldn't take it, he wouldn't let her win this time, and this was personal.

He stared into her cold eyes, her tight lips, her cool demenor that warned every dancer of their place in Ouran. Then he smiled.  
"I quit." He said softly

There was a clatter as he watched her mouth drop as she stuttered for a minute and then her face scrunched as her lips twisted into a scowl. She tossed the blank letter to the floor.

"You are what?"She asked him, daring him to say it again.

"I-quit." He smiled wider now. It felt good to have the power even for a minute.

"You can't quit. I have you under contract for major companies." She was almost hissing now as she braced the desk.

"My Laywer will handle the paper work." He answered, "You made your own bed. I quit."

"You are making a mistake." She told him as she regained her compsure coolly as she eyed him, "This won't help her. She assaulted my daughter, she set a horse on her. She is expelled from this company."

"No. Good luck finding a new lead male dancer in time for the show." He answered as he turned and shut the door leaving her fuming, "Antoinette come help me find Mikan."

"Jin." she started, "What did you just do?"

'It doesn't matter. That's between me and her." Jin answered. Mya's mother, the great black widow of dance world, the infamous Akane. The one who held all the cards, Ouran wasn't a leap to the dance world, and it was a factory, stockyard, because they knew that most of the dancers wouldn't be able to afford the lessons or tuition of the other dance schools. They made it seem like you had a fair chance, but unless you were one her favorites, or one of their favorites you never made it far. You got stuck in the chorus.

He could hear Kagame screaming down the hall, as she was know telling a cop off, getting his badge number and threathing too have him shipped of to Africa. He shook his head; this was going to be hard to sort out. Kyoya managed to force her away as he smiled and said something as the cop seemed to laugh and nod. He wrote something down and walked away as Kagame walked faster still storming and yelling angry gibberish.

"Where did you think she went?" Antoinette asked as they walked the way Mikan had run out.

He could think of one place, "Come on."

Antoinette followed behind him, "Aren't you cold?"

"Freezing." He answered as they walked down the path, he was ready to start running or even jogging if he had to, "But I'll get over it."

"Where are we going?" Antoinette demanded as she panted to keep up with him. Her shoes clacking against the tiles, as approached the tall building. He was lucky enough to get it so Mikan wouldn't punch him.

He opened the door to the dojo, but it was empty. Just the empty dark space and the punching bag staring back at him. He closed it again as he turned around and rested against the door.

"I thought for sure she would be here." He started

"A dojo?" Antoinette asked him as she grabbed his arm, "Come on before you break."

He turned silently as they walked together, as she dared to ask again, "Jin what did you tell headmistress?"

There was a rush of cool air as he breathed it in and relaxed.

He paused as he smiled, "I quit Ouran."

Antoinette felt her jaw drop, "WHAT! You can'! You mustn't."

"I can and I have. Antoinette you're lucky, you don't see how they work us here. You don't need to see it. " He answered with a shrug, "SO don't worry about me."

"But-but how are you going to get a spot in the company-" She began again as if she was going to start suddenly fretting over him like a mother over a sick child.

"I won't." He answered, "Not the one's I was going for anyways. See something just snapped in me. I never wanted the patrons support, I was keeping track of how much under the table dealing had been going on in the theatre. I've long suspected the headmistress of favorite, but I didn't quite realize how far she would take it till now, so I quit. My research is done."

"Jin please makes sense." Antoinette begged him. She clung to his arm in that annoying habit she had as if she knew what was good for him. He didn't yank it away from her as she leaned against him.

"Like I said forget about it." He told her coldly as she got the message and released him from her grip.

They walked on in silence until they reached the lockers. He thought about it, two words that held so much weight. They came so easy, so quickly, as he stared at her evenly saying I know who you are and what you are. Antoinette would never understand why he had done it. She knew only dance for achieving her dreams of being part of a main cleared out his shoes, his tights, his shorts, as he changed into his regular clothes. He left nothing for evidence. That was the strangest part for a dancer, to clear out something that was a part of who you were. MIkan would do the same in a day or so the talk would follow in the theatre, but they wouldn't hear it. Everyone thought that quitting lasted days, but the actual proposition was a few moments in time, a quiet stillness like a knife slashing butter. A blow to the dancer, a blow to the company and a blow to the director though they acted indifferent to it, even if it was a favorite.

"Come on Antoinette." He ordered as she followed like a lap dog, "I feel like getting very drunk and I am sure I can find at least three people who would join me."

They walked on out the hall as they almost ran into the Giant and the midget and a tiered puppy.

"Hey Jin." Mikan waved she didn't want to tell him how she got their, Mori was being nice enough as it was to carry her sorry ass around, "I just got questioned by the police."

"And." Jin started expecting the worse out of it.

"Nothing.' She shrugged, "They said thank you for your time and walked away. Mya's mother has wanted to press charges, but between Kyoya and Kagame they left speeding away in their patrol cars. They said something about how she had wasted their time and that they were going to deported to Africa over it."

There was a pause as everyone simply looked at each other. Something ironically funny about what had happened, sweetly ironic.

"Who wants a drink?" Jin smiled as he shifted the bag over his shoulder, he felt like hugging the giant. He was sure he had something to do with why the Police didn't take action, that and Kagame's rage.

"Oh will there be cake?" Honey asked as he suddenly perked up at the thought of a party.

"Yeah, a big round cake." Mikan answered pulling out her phone, "I'll text the others. I like celebrations."

"You can't be serious." Antoinette started

Jin only looked at her, "Antoinette I've learned when life gives you lemons trade them for limes and get your self bottle of good vodka."

"Beer." Mikan answered as she nudged the giant in the sides who turned. They had changed as well, as Mikan had stayed in her leotard and tights. It was almost funny in that way.

"You want to clear out?" Jin asked Mikan sniffed.

"I want cake and beer and a hug." She answered as Mori walked on.

"Cake! Cake!" Honey chanted, not catching severity of the situation, "I love cake.

"So where'd you run of to?" Jin asked

"Well the dojo was locked and Honey and Mori had finished early and they saw me running around sobbing and holding a letter. So I talked it out or tried to, and Mori just lifted me on his back because my feet were soaked and cold. Pointe shoes weren't meant for cold weather. Then the police where waiting for me, and I gave a statement and Honey and Mori were my witnesses. Apparently Mya broke her wrist and screamed that Kagame had let the horse hit her, and then I had paid her." MIkan laughed, "God now that I think of it, I think the cops were trying to keep from laughing to. Someone had been in the barn, and Mya an unfortunate bystander."

"Life is strange." Jin offered as Mikan's phone vibrated.

"We're meeting up at my house." She told him, "Kagame's here in the truck with Kyoya. They had to give statements to."

Jin had to smile at that. Kagame hadn't given a statement as much a death threat to the cop.

"What a mess." Jin shook his head again, "Did I tell you I quit?"

"Good for you." Mikan answered as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Her eyes might as well have been beats with all the crying she had done. Her hair fell limply on her shoulders and her walk seemed to sag. It was like she was saying now where in the same boat so lets eat the fish while it lasts.

"Quit what?" Honey asked as they walked along. Jin threw her an accusing glance, how could she had not at least told them why the police where looking for her or at best why she was crying. He realized that Honey had meant the question for him as he regained himself.

"Dance, well at least at Ouran." He answered, "See I'm here on scholarship."

"We were supposed to be going to try outs." Antoinette butted in as if she found something unholy disproving about his attitude, "But no chance of that now for you."

"I'll be fine. See a dancer joins a company so they can dance for a living and do be able to make it into a company you have to go to a school for dancers, and Ouran offers such a school." He shrugged, "But I quit."

"Why?" Honey asked again as if trying to dig deeper.

"Because." Jin answered as they walked out the front door. Mori carried Mikan all the way to the truck where she jumped down and leaned into Kagame.

"Bye guys see you in a bit." Mikan waved

"Come on Taksahi. I want to get some cake from home first." Honey urged as Mori eyed Jin and walked on with Honey to their waiting car.

"Kagame." Antoinette started as she looked at her. There was an air of silence between the two, a kind of high tension. Kagame had the power though in their friendship, she had always had the power in any relationship be it friendship or something more. It didn't help that Antoinette wasn't Mikan's friend, but Jin knew she felt sorry for the Pink headed girl.

"Go. You don't need to get caught up in this.' Kagame answered as Antoinette bowed her head in relief and walked away, "You and me will talk later. Kyoya will give you a lift."

"Thanks. I have my own ride." Jin turned and walked away already done for the day.

Kagame watched him go, "Oh I am so in need of getting drunk. Wasted on the floor."

"And we don't have to go to school hung over." MIkan chimed in.

"Nope." Kagame nodded, "Kyoya bring the files, a couple extra pair of eyes and we should be able to wrap this up."

Kyoya nodded walking away as he looked back as Kagame climbed into the beat up truck and tore away, no doubt to pick up Haruhi.

How had this happened? How could any of this have happened in one day? He climbed into the limo as he sat against the seat. Mikan had been expelled, plain and simple from the theatre, not the school. So she couldn't dance there any more she could attend classes, but that was the main reason she had come. To get into a company, he had seen her potential.

The limo door opened for him as he climbed in, "Home." He ordered as the driver started out.

Where did this leave the puppy? Would she stay at Ouran or be moved? If she stayed what would happen with the rivalry? It was too planned; Mya hit by a horse, her mother having Mikan expelled then ten minutes later. Had she been waiting for an excuse?  
Kagame was right they needed a drink and a plan and an extra few sets of eyes to figure out this tangled web.

* * *

Gah holy crap! Is this the end of puppy? Of course not! But it is the start of many other things! Enjoy this chapter! It will be awhile till I update next. Yes I am evil so sue me and call me betty.

Review. i know you will, because your all addicted to this! I want to know your thoughts and feelings and everything else? Has mikan lost her mind? Has jin lost his? Where will she go? Will she stay? Does Mori actually feel for her or is he using his usual tatics? How will the rest of the host club react!

Stay tuned .

just when you thought it couldn't get more dramatic.

Oh note.

In case anyone was confused, the events took palce on the same day actually about the course of half hour maybe less. Serisously stuff happens fast when your in the midst of drama!


	29. We Apologize for the Inconvenience

Wow, you guys are crazy, thanks for all your support.

* * *

To my Loyal Readers:

We've come a long, long way with puppy. I'm still working on the story and everything no worries there, my lack of updates is mostly because of the loss of my laptops hard drive and most of the story, which should be coming back to me shortly.

No worries since the whole thing is posted online, Mikan will always be with us.

In the meantime please keep checking for updates. I hope to have a new chapter in the next two weeks it's a pretty pivotal time in the story, since Mikan is going to have to face what's happened to her and have to grow up some. Ah highschool what a fun time even more if your at Ouran.

So in the meantime please continue to support and I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while.

The eva sugar high pixie


	30. Healing Wounds

Hi crazy people!

To my loyal readers: Thanks for your patience! Its been a long time coming for this chapter!

To crazy people: Glad you liked it enough to read it in two days or a day.

To people who have Fav'd/ Alert'd: Thanks! And leave a review!

This is a new arch that i'm starting, so please hold on tight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Mikan sat on the porch, resting on Tamaki's leg as Honey used her head as an arm rest. She sucked down the soda as she let out a loud belch, as she scratched the back of her head. Her hair was done in a knotted mess of pink curls that ended somewhere on the edge of her waist as she tossed them up and up again to try bring some order to it.

She felt sick to her stomach and the soda wasn't helping. She leaned her head back and let out a sigh as a loud cursing came from the kitchen.

"Mikan" Kagame whined as she rolled Kyoya's head with her fingers that were more like little claws perched upon their victim's skull. She ran them through a few times more trying to think of what she was going to say-, "Mikan, go help Jin."

Mikan didn't answer, she couldn't be bothered to answer as she watched the tall form of Mori leave the crowded porch area. She liked their small porch off the back of the house, it wasn't much for space, but then again it was made for sitting out and watching the fireflies and grass grow, not an epic of game beer pong played blindfolded. Well, they didn't have beer, so it was more soda pong, but it made sense.

"You have to drink again." Haruhi pointed to the beer as the Twins sighed and gulped down another sip. She was damn good at the game, making the ball every time since they had started playing an hour ago. The twins look no more ready to stumble then they were to give up as they cracked their fingers.

"JIN!" Hikaru called, "Where's the beer!"

"Bring the booze!" Karou continued as he roped an arm around his brother, nuzzling his face into his neck ever so lovingly. Mikan turned away, to tiered and to depressed to say anything about their nauseating love making.

"We need more players." They crossed their arms, bored already, "Milord come impress us your manly drinking skills."

"Hmmm." Tamaki considered it as he pushed himself up and spread his arms, his tie loose around his neck. Mikan rolled her eyes, Tamaki had insisted in following them home after the whole mess that today had wrought. He had been non-stop presence of what the puppy needed and how to keep her happy and not upset forever and a day.

It had been a very sweet thing for him to do, until he carried her up the stairs, fetched her four pints of ice cream. He wouldn't let her out of her room until she had explained everything while he ate one of the pints. She hadn't been to happy about that either.

She nursed her second soda, it had been slowly turning warmer and warmer under her sweaty palms. There where a chorus of cries as the sound of a ball plopping could be heard.

"Haha!" Tamaki cried as he un did his tie the rest of the way tying it around his head, as Haruhi shook her head.

"Ten points for Milord. " The twins pulled up a white board. The score was ten points with Tamaki in the lead, Haruhi with five and the Twins with negative five. Mikan watched, apparently the point was to try and make the ball into one of the cups, blindfolded. For double points you did it backwards one foot and if you missed you have to take three gulps of your soda.

She began to suspect the only point was to make people drunker, faster, if they were playing with beer, but their didn't seem to be any.

"Alright, alright." Kagame stood up leaving Kyoya, "You guys are wusses, what we need is some vodka and a few things of orange juice and I'll teach you how we played truth or dare in America."

Mikan sighed as she glanced at Honey who clambered to his feet.

"Vodka!" He cheered as he stumbled forward, as Haruhi pulled out a chair for him to climb on to, to even reach the table to throw the ping pong ball.

"Who'd be winning?" Mikan asked trying to get interested in the game.

Haruhi was trying to shrug of the twins as she gulped down a few more sips of her soda wiping her lips. Her eyes were narrowed focused on the game. They would play until Kagame stumbled back with the orange juice. Kyoya was staring coolly from his place bemused by their antics, but like Mikan refusing to join in.

She was sure he was re calculating, she wished he would come up with a plan, a devious plan to get her back into Ouran's dance program. Or maybe he wouldn't-oh what did she care for right now. She was moody and depressed and she would be the one up their getting crazy with the beer, but instead she was sulking and acting like she was having as much fun as they were.

"Mikan!"

Kagame's voice snapped her back, "Get up here, and drink like the real woman I know you are!"

"Coming!" She answered as she pushed off the floor and swaggered over to the table as she cracked her fingers, "Let's do this."

Kagame let out a mad crackle as she cleared the table of the red cups, and left over the soda cups. She poured the vodka and orange juice into one giant bowl as she spread out plastic cups pouring in the sick looking mixture. She let out another mad chuckle to herself as she passed out her chosen poison of the night.

"Come my shadow king. Take your rightful place by my side." Kagame offered a hand that Kyoya promptly ignored, "You are not better than drinking with us, now come." She stamped her foot and snapped her finger and to Mikan's surprise the shadow king rose from the depths and crept over to her side. He took the orange mixture and drank down a whole cup as Kagame quickly replaced it with another.

"Now my pretties, it is time for truth or dare." She steepled her fingers as her long dark hair fell into her face, and to Mikan her sister had never looked more evil.

"Oh Goddess!" The twins bowed in her presence, "teach us in this commoner game as you have taught us the ways of beer pong and monopoly."

"My pleasure." Kagame answered, "The rules are simply, we go in a circle, you take a truth or a gulp of the orange punch. You can take up three orange punches, before you have to do a dare."

There was a silent agreement, that the dares would be anything but simple. Mikan scrunched her toes and shifted her fingers, she was ready for this.

Honey was first as he took a truth.

"Fine. What is your biggest secret?"  
"Uh, that I have three pinks bunnies at home and I bring a new one to school each day." Honey answered

"Oh come on." Mikan rolled her eyes as Kagame hissed at her.

"Your turn." Kagame pointed to Karou, "And no sharing."

"Aww, but Goddess!" The twins cried

"No butts, truth or dare Karou." Kagame waved hand in front her.

"Dare." Karou grinned.

"Try and touch Mikan's neck." Kagame grinned. She had become the official dare master it seemed with Kyoya by her side. Mikan remembered her playing like this before, at home when she had invited Kagame to a cast party. She had taken her place and made the dare's easy from singing the alphabet backwards to difficult like juggling three cups of beer with out spilling.

"Touch me you die." Mikan answered as she clasped her hands around her neck, as a dancer she was expected to her bubble invaded, hell she probably didn't have a bubble at this point, but she did not love people touching her neck. She was lucky that no part had ever called for neck to be touched, at least not a lot, but this was cruel.

"I'll take that." He answered as he reached for her. Mikan was faster as he chased her around and around the table until she splashed a cup of punch of him. He yelped and wiped his eyes, he grinned.

"Mikan! Look out spider!'

"Where?" She started as he swiped a hand across her neck. She scrunched up her shoulders and wrapped her own hands around it as the rest of them laughed.

"You look like a turtle." Haruhi commented. She didn't mean anything by it, it was just another one of those Haruhi comments. Mikan had begun to suspect the girl never meant anything but what she said as a kind of observation.

"Thanks." Mikan rolled her eyes, "No more neck touching."

"Agreed." Kyoya was the one who spoke up this time. Mikan stared at him, but his glasses reviled nothing of what his eyes could tell her about what he was feeling. She shook her head as the game went on.

Kagame looked so menacing in her black lace skirts and her silver and blue corset. Her long hair in her face and a witches hat on her head. Mikan had watched her prepare her pot of yummy things to eat, and she had gotten rather into the experience acting like a witch and quoting Macbeth the whole time.

She hadn't bothered to take it off when everyone arrived either, instead greeting them with a small coy smile and showing them to the purple sitting room and then to the back porch for drinking and being generally loud. She had shipped out Sho and Jun and Ayumi to their respective friends houses for the night, so Mikan could find some peace in her company.

It was Tamaki's turn and he choose truth.

"What is the stupidest thing you ever did?"

"Kagame now that is not fair." Kyoya said softly beside her, "We all know of Tamaki's impairments."

The king of the host club had to think hard about the stupidest thing he had ever done, but then inspiration seemed to strike.

"I once when I was a child go stuck in the dumb waiter shaft because I wanted to climb up it like I was an explorer. They had to cut a hole in the wall to get me out."

"How old were you?" Mikan asked suddenly curious.

"12." He answered sheepishly and taking his gulp of the punch.

Mikan laughed and laughed,, as the twins ordered for Haruhi to go next.

"Dare." She said simply.

"You have to drink Witches brew." Kagame answered as she poured something behind her that looked like green bile.

"But I don't drink-"Haruhi began, "There's no point in it."

"It's just beer died green." Kagame shrugged, "It's fine."

"Okay." Haruhi nodded taking the glass as Mikan shook her head. Kagame was a damn good liar, and she really hoped Haruhi wouldn't pass out from it.

Haruhi however gulped it down it a few moments as Mikan stared amazed. She had tried Kagame's custom "witches brew" before and it was anything but tasty.

"Got anymore?" Haruhi challenged as Kagame's mouth fell open. The twins laughed and high fived her as it was back to Honey for another turn.

…..

Jin sat out on the front porch jumping at every time there were loud whoops coming from the back of the house. The echo's carried easily over the short distance. Jin felt very much like getting drunk and doing stupid shit. He had pulled a stunt that was going to cost him dearly.

Ouran was one of the last schools open to him in Japan, the only one in need of a male lead. He rubbed a hand over his face, but the way he had seen Mikan exit the door, the look on her face, he-had to have done something. How could he face her if she wasn't dancing? If they would never do a piece together, if Mikan had to sit through every recital?

Nope. He would find a way around it, that might mean going back to America, or maybe Russia. Russia would be alright at this time of year, it would allow him some time to breathe and just be with his art.

"Jin."

He jumped again as large hand found its way on to his shoulder, "Hey Mori."

Mori hiccupped as he finished off a beer, "Hi."

"Aren't you the silent one?" Jin asked disturbed by Mori's sudden openness.

"Yes, but not always. I'm tiered." He explained.

"I get you." Jin nodded, "How close have you been to him? You know Honey?"

"A long time." Mori answered. He was leaning against the wall as Jin had to turn and look at him from his seat on the wooden stoop. His hair was messy, he was smiling a small smile though with his hands in his pockets like he was going to jump off the porch and start skipping.

"Uh huh." Jin nodded, "So you like working for the host club?"

There was a pause as Mori gave a nod, and wandered over to him as he sat down, "Yes. It's fun. It's a different experience."

There was another long silence as cries of 'You Cheated!" echoed from the back of the house. They stared at each other and understood and then turned back to look out at the fields.

Mori began to speak again, "So, where are you going to go? Since the dance thing didn't work out."

"I don't know." He answered with a shrug as he glanced at his empty beer, "Damn. Where are her siblings tonight? The house is quiet."

"Oh Kagame said she shipped them off somewhere, I think Cuba." Mori yawned as the door slammed open.

"Mori! WITH ME! NOW! JIN GO FIND A HIDING PLACE!" Mikan screamed jumping onto Mori's back and spurring him out on the driveway, "GO! GO!"

Mori startled dropped his can of beer as he ran forward spitting gravel beneath his feet as the fields became bathed in an eerie light. Mikan kept jarring him in the sides as the loud whooping of the twins could be heard behind them.

"OMG! THERE OUT HERE!" Mikan's voice carried over the wide space as she panted clinging to his neck, "Come on Mori! Come on!"

He panted again as he slowed his pace, very thankful that Mikan was not heavy to carry. He shoved open the stable door, as Mikan steered him to the wall as she flipped on the stables light. The sleep horses raised their heads, but few of them moved to acknowledge them further.

He glanced down the long line of stalls, as the strong smell of horse hit him. He had been around horses before, but not as often as Mikan. She seemed at home singing to herself as she gave a way to the stalls and the sleepy horses.

Mori wasn't sure what was going on, but he assumed it meant something silly was happening as a result of way to much of Kagame's special blend. He had a cup or two or three of it, and he was seeing spots. Well those had cleared up after the first cup, but still, it was bound to induce stuff.

"Morning Edmund!" Mikan called softly as the great horse raised his head and flicked his ears. He looked like a draft or something to Mori, who was almost as tall as he was. He was intelligent though stepping forward and rubbing his nose against the bar.

"It's not morning.' Mori said softly in her ear as she screamed out enough to make a few of the horses knicker in return. He jumped as well, as he clutched his chest.

"Holy crap! You said something." Mikan whispered grabbing her neck as she touched her nose, "You said something."

"Yes I do speak." Mori nodded slowly as he felt his heart beat return to normal. He had never seen Mikan, well, so awake.

"Say something else." She encouraged, as she poked him in the chest.

"Mikan I think we should hide because I hear the twins outside." He answered. He assumed that's who they were running from, well who she was running from, she had just dragged him into this by riding him like a horse.

"Oh shit. Really?" She giggled, "That's not good. If they find us, oh no, they get to dare us. Oh god! I can't take a dare from the twins. I just can't."

"Then we should hide." He encouraged.

"Oh, um." She stumbled forward, "Loft, here's the ladder, come up."

He watched her stumble forward upon the concrete floor shuffling scraps of hay that hadn't been swept all away. Her shoe laces were untied, but didn't seem to hinder her already gawky movements as her footsteps made clunking noises that echoed off the high rafters.

"You really think we should-" Mori started, but Mikan despite being filled up on booze seemed to shimmy up the ladder like a monkey.

"Come on." She hissed as Mori sighed and followed up slowly behind her. The horses had returned to their sleeping, as the disturbance faded. Mikan shuffled around the top of the barn loft. He scooted around with her, the place was littered with hay and barrels and boxes and excellent places to hide. It wasn't in the direct light so it cast shadows, where they could hide easily.

"MIkan!" came a hiss from below.

"Hi twins!" She called from the loft, "What is up?"

"I though we were hiding from them." Mori told her.

"Shh, I think we were, um oh they can't hear you speak they'll go crazy." She hissed, "Up here! I'm with Mori!"

"Hey Mori!" They called together as they climbed up the ladder, "We decided it be best to follow you, Kagame knows all the best hiding places and she's got Kyoya like a hound."

"Not the shadow king!" She moaned, "Not the shadow king."

"Shh!" They ordered, "We need to hide well, your sister is bound to look here."

"Oh! Your right, hiding place." She muttered, "This is a bad place." She ran down the ladder again as she screamed missing the last few steps. She lay at the bottom of the ladder in a drunk heap covered in dust and straw and hay.

The twins muttered some curse under their breath, climbing after her as Mori followed at a slower rate, "That was a bad idea."

"I'm fine." She answered as she scrambled up. She did her swaggering walk to the wall and shut off the barn lights, "Come on this way!" She ran through the dark, as she reached for a hand. She found one, "Who is this?"

"Karou."

"Hey. Okay we need a good place to hide, there's the feed room, there's the um empty stall at the end, oh the tack room but that has a light. Kagame will turn on the light tough." She panted as she ran forward.

'Mori hold her back will you?" The twins turned to their resident giant as Mori sighed and rolled his eyes. He threw Mikan over his shoulder, easily so she wouldn't hurt her self as she clawed at him. Her knee found his collar bone as she rammed it rather roughly, he cursed and rubbed it. He jolted her as she giggled her hands trying hard not to pat his legs or back or any area in between, it was hard for her.

"Hey put me down Mr. Talkie! Talkie!" She hissed, "Oh! Oh trough! Trough! Mori put me down!"

MIkan scrambled off his shoulder as she plunged herself into a bucket as splash was heard, "Oh FUCK! There's water in here!"

"Way to go. " The twins sighed as she jumped out shaking herself out. She threw off her coat and shoes as she wrung out her soaked hair.

"Uh." She managed laughing again, "You guys pick okay."

"Fine. "The twins answered, but they were anything but bored. Mikan was very amusing wasted as she stumbled over herself. They would find a place to hide, Kagame would look everywhere obscure, but if they hid somewhere reasonable, she would never know.

They sauntered over to the empty horse stall Mikan talked about. It was clean, not even sod on the floor, besides a few bales of hay. Mikan giggled again as she moved a few of the bales around.

"Okay come on." She scooted over, as the twins sat beside her. She panted, "This is-so-much-fun."

"Shhh." They answered as Mori slunk over to the corner. He seemed to be nursing his head in the dark. A silence descend over them if only for a few moments, before Mikan began singing.

The twins had never heard her sing, but she wasn't good. She sounded like a cat in a puddle of water, screeching at the top her lungs.

"Good morning Baltimore! Every day day is a like an OPEN SORRREE!" She screeched out spreading her arms, " EVERY NIGHT IS A FANTASY! EVERY SCREAM LIKE AH AH SYMPHONY!"

"Shh!" The twins hissed again as Mikan quieted down.

"If we don't make it out, I want you to name the baby after Mori. Okay." Mikan grabbed Hikaru by the neck, "I-I-"

"You need to be shh!" Karou answered slapping a hand across her face and holding it there as she giggled through it. She licked it as he pulled away disgusted and wiping off her spit. She giggled madly again holding her stomach as her body shook from the laughter.

"Shhh!" Karou hissed again.

She shook her head no as Hikaru sighed and slapped a hand to his face, they were never going to win hide and seek now. Mikan suddenly grew rigid though as she blinked a few times. The horses were talking again patting their hooves and pacing in their stalls.

"Hello my children."

The twins heard it to , Kagame's errie voice echoing through the stallls as the crisp steps of Kyoya fell in place beside her. This wasn't just a game of hide and seek this was a game of survival. Untold horrors awaited, if they found them.

Kagame and the Shadow king went along like some unseemly evil mad pair, a quiet evil though, something that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on end and goose pimples run across your skin in a mad dance. It drove your senses wild so you felt your heart racing and at the same time you wanted to tilt your head back and-

"RUN!" Mikan screamed bolting out of the stable. The twins froze in their places as they glanced at each other and followed suit bolting out the back stable door. They glanced behind as Mori followed as an easy pace his legs stretched out in front of him.

"COME ON! COOOOMME ONNNN!" Mikan was hollering now as they sprinted across the fields.

"Mikan?" came another voice as the Twins glanced into the darkness. They would know that uncurious voice anywhere.

"Haruhi!" They called as they jogged forward.

"COME BACK HERE!" Kagame's voice joined the night chorus, "THE GAME IS NOW TAG! IF YOUR CAUGHT YOUR DOOMED! DOOMED!"

"AHHHHHHH!" Mikan's scream went out, , "We need to hide! I think they'll all over by the hay bales."

"Where?" The twins asked squinting in the dark as something bright showed up in their face. They blinked as Haruhi waved a small hand at them and smiled.

"Boo!" Tamaki yelled waving the flashlight, "This is the most fun I've had running for my life ever." Haruhi rolled his eyes at Tamaki, she seemed to be anxious and cold as she shivered. She was missing the over sized jacket she had come in, but then again when the game had been announced every one had run screaming from the house.

Tamaki was holding himself confidently as he beemed with the flashlight in hand. His shirt had lost more than half its buttons, and his tie hung loose around his neck. His hair was a ragged mess and his pants were unsuitable with rips and tears and mud stains.

"Milord." The Twins squinted not recognizing a dirty Tamaki, "Where are the others?"

They were alone in the middle of the one lane dirt road that led to no where, with the resident idiot who was more amused with the flashlight than actually winning the game.

"Oh there are plenty of places to hide, the commoners farm were built so that in times when they had to run evil beasts they would not be eaten. Of course we're brave knights of this place, so there's no need to worry-"

"We're not worried Milord." The twins answered rolling their eyes as they started once more through the dark fields to where they had last heard the Puppy crying out from. The hay bales, whatever a haybale was, would most likely prove to be comfortable and able to hide them well.

"Tag is fun, but I haven't played since I was a child. "Haruhi commented almost to herself. She had noticed the Tamaki loved their "commoner" games as he had been calling them for the last half hour. Kagame looked ready to kill him every time he had said it. She didn't like his aloofness about a lot of things, and it had earned him more than his fair share of whacks across the top of his head.

They were walking together now through the fields. The game of duck, duck, duck, chicken had quickly move from the house to the fields to the barn and every in between. Haruhi had followed Tamaki since he had had the luck or maybe the foresight to find a flashlight before they sprinted out into the dark.

She had not known where Jin or Honey or Mori or even Mikan had ended up and it was strange being alone in the dark with Tamaki, who seemed torn between jumping at every noise and protecting her from the field mice. She had laughed at his antics and ignored him for the most part. Drinking never really had that much of an effect on her, even Kagame's "witches brew" or "Speical blend".

She was happy to be doing it, since Kagame had told her she was welcome to spend the night. She almost wanted to go home to see if Dad noticed, if he would faint, if he would panic and hold her and banish Mikan from ever coming near the house again.

It probably would have been none of those, but still.

"Earth to Haruhi!' The twins called, "You zone out to easily, what were you thinking about?"

"Things." She answered.

"Things. Just things?" They insisted, "You are so normal it is painful sometimes."

She shrugged as they walked along.

"You have to be careful Milord for badgers, and bears and tigers. Who knows what is running wild on the farm." The twins smiled as Tamaki glared at them.

"Please." He scoffed, "The most dangerous thing on this place is Kagame."

"True that the Goddess if of fickle nature-" The twins smiled, "But we enjoy her ever changing moods."

"Where is Kyoya?" Tamaki asked

"He's left you for her." The twins sighed, "It seems your brain is to small to understand when he speaks, he needed brighter company."

"I'm brilliant!" Tamaki argued, "I have excellent grades."

"Yes but your rants and crazy ideas over the smallest thing does leave room for questions." The twins shrugged

Tamaki glared raising a finger as he yanked Haruhi's arm, "Come on we're going to find the others."

"Not so fast." The twins yanked Haruhi back who was rather dazed. She didn't mind the tug of war, it would be over sooner than later.

"She can walk on her own and you two morons for company wouldn't help her." Tamaki argued.

"Help her with what?" The twins asked, "Jumping like you are at field mice."

"I am looking for wolves." Tamaki answered

"You said there was nothing dangerous." The twins snapped back as Haruhi broke through both of their grips and walked on alone.

"Hey wait!" They called after her as she happily loped along.

…..

Mikan felt very cold and very wet, as she returned to her senses slowly. Her fingers, her arms were very numb. She glanced around as her eyes came into focus.

Mori was still beside her as she clung to his arm, "So mori-"

"What?" He asked

"What is your favorite color?' She began as they walked together now at a slow pace.

"Blue. Like the sky where my friends the rubber ducks like go quack and fly away without me." He answered as he shrugged his shoulders, "Do you like pink?"

"Yes." She nodded, "Hmmm, do you have any pets besides the rabid raccoon?"

"No. I wish I did, how can you keep so many horses, there's only like six of you? Horses need alots of exercise and your mom is never around." He said slowly. His head hurt, and his stomach wasn't helping either. He hadn't had a lot to eat before he came out.

"We board lots of people, they come and leave their horses. And then we has a lot of girls and guys who love to help to take care of them, just to get some lessons. Mom hired has a few friends who come teach for times out the week." Mikan explained, "It makes it a lot easier, because we can't watch all of them. Back home, before we moved to the city, we had a big farm, a big farm and all we did was work on the farm."

"Did you have rabid chickens?" Mori asked

"Oh yes, twenty or thirty of them at once. We ate them to and they were yummy. My dad would make a sauce and peel all the corn, smother it all in butter and potatoes. Lots of potatoes." Mikan murmured again, "I hate potatoes."

"You do?" Mori asked, "Why do you hate potatoes?"

"What is not to hate about potatoes?" She answered

"There delicious that's what." He answered crossing his arms, "Don't your horses like potatoes?"

"No they love apples, carrots, oats, sugar." She answered, "And they get fed plenty, but no potatoes."

"Your horses are strange. Everyone should eat potatoes, my raccoon eats potatoes."  
Mori started

"You mean the spawn of evil enjoys to eat potatoes." Mikan countered crossing her arms, "I don't think the boarders would appreciate if we fed their horses potatoes."

"So do you ride their horses to?" Mori asked

"Most times.' She answered, "They ride ours a lot. We teach a carriage class for a lot of people with the drafts, their usually to wide for anyone to ride like a quarter horse. And a lot of the little kids tromp on the back of the ponies."

"Why don't you ride at Ouran?" Mori asked, "We have a stable and everything, and there are all sorts of horses. I bet you they would like potatoes."

"No horse in his or her right mind is going to eat a potatoes." She countered, "Potatoes are nasty, nasty, nasty."

"They are not." Mori argued, " They are delicious. They are great with everything, butter, more potatoes, gravy, ice cream, more butter, more potatoes."

"I will never eat a potatoe!" Mikan swore as she raised a fist in the air, "And you cannot make me eat your disgusting potatoes!"

"I can to." Mori countered, "I'll prove that potatoes are yummy."

Mikan giggled as she suddenly began to jog instead and circled him,  
"I'm a planet whose orbiting! I'm Pluto!"

"Why are you talkie talkie now!" She almost whined grabbing his hand as they walked along in the fields together. She had no idea where the twins went, heck she hardly knew where they were. The fields all looked the same rolling green, besides the trees that dotted the landscape.

"Ah." He said simply shrugging as he glanced around with her. Mikan sighed, as she yelped slipping down a muddy bank.

"Ew." She glanced at the bottom of her pants as she went to wipe off the cuffs and then rubbed her hands off, "Mori? Why don't you like to talk?"

"Nothing much to say." He explained. MIkan turned to him as she stared at him eyeing him almost as they stood in the fields. He was unnerved by her as tried to peer closer and closer at him. Her hair was wet and tangled more than usual, hanging down by her waist. She looked almost cute if it weren't were for the mud and dirt and booze on her breath, as she giggled.

Mori stepped away coughing and waving a hand, "Come on we should try and find the others."

"I wish I knew where they were hiding." Mikan sighed bouncing away as she fell down into the mud.

"Mikan." Mori muttered almost scolding her as he hauled her by an arm. She wasn't that light that he wanted to carry her like he did Honey, but she was prone to snap an ankle if she didn't watch what she was doing.

He did feel sorry for her, she looked sloppy wet and muddy and shivering from the cold. He moved her forward as he tried to eye something that would give them an inkling of where they were in the fields. Mikan was hopeless, in her giggling state of pure happiness as she wobbled on her footsteps.

"This way." He said softly walking forward as she followed his footsteps, taking her time as she made her strides wider and wider.

"Whoops split!" She called in her straight legged split, as she rolled back up from the dirt, "Hehe!"

"That-" He paused and shook his head and didn't finish his comment.

"What! Do I creep you out? Do I? Huh? Do I?" She asked as she walked beside him happily bouncing and clinging to his arm.

"Your annoying." He answered adding a little more edge to his voice than he probably should. She stopped and walked beside him quietly instead as she shuffled her feet. She didn't laugh or even giggle as she sighed in the night air. He didn't apologize.

"Takashi! Takashi!"

That was Honey's cry coming from the hay barrels. He started off in a jog as Mikan followed slowly. He sighed and stood in front of her with his arms crossed, "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just keeping calm." She answered crossing her arms, "You said I was annoying."

He sighed and blew out a puff of air, "I like rubber duckies, really rubber duckies when they fly in the sky. The polka dot one are my best friends, they took me to where the bubble gum gets it bubble."

"What?" Mikan asked looking at him.

"Why are you mad at me?" Mori asked

"I'm not mad." Mikan looked offended as she looked away, "I'm not mad."

"You are so mad." Mori laughed as he poked her in the back, "Your face gets all scrunched up and your nose is wrinkled and you cross your arms and you ignore me."

"I'm not mad." She whined now shoving him back.

"You are mad. The rubber duckies get mad at me sometimes, they go Quack, Quack, and chase me around and go Quack, Quack, Quack." Mori answered poking her in the back again, "Mikan please stop being mad."

"No you can keep your rubber duckie's! And you potatoes! Your horrible potatoes!" She screamed, "I hate you and you potatoes!"

"No you don't." Mori began, "Come on! Mikan please don't be mad!"

"I can be mad all I want. I could be mad until the cows come home and they won't because their dead, like dead hamburgers and hotdogs and-yeah so I'm going to be mad all I want!"

"No! I'll make you less mad! You better not be mad or I'll summon my rubber duckie army! And they'll beak you! Beak you!" Mori answered laughing as he clutched his stomach, "For they are evil polka dotted rubber duckies!"

"It was a teenie weenie, polka dot bikini, that she wore for the first time today." Mikan sang out softly.

She was still drunk, well she was sobering pretty well, as she wavered back and forth. He shuffled his feet as he glanced off to where he had heard Honey call for them.

"We should try and find the others, see what the game has turned in to." He explained as he began again. MIkan, however stood still for a moment longer, as her eye burrowed into his back. He walked faster, and glanced once to see her following slowly like some dejected-

"Puppy." He called, but she didn't respond coming forward slow again. She finally made it to him, as she walked slowly beside him, keeping her distance. Her arms were crossed and she was shivering harder, but her mouth was closed tight like a clenched fist. Her eyes were focused ahead as she said softly, "I bet their up hiding in the bales, or the knotted tree. Good place to hide or gather if we're still playing hide and seek."

"Puppy." Mori said again reaching for her, as he tugged her to his chest in a hug, "Good puppy. Good puppy." He patted her tangled mop of her as he nuzzled her nose of her head .

"Your hair smells so nice." He smiled, "If only you had polka dots in your hair it would make it that much better."

"No my hair is better polka dot free." Mikan answered pushing away from him gently.

Her voice had changed to, all the playfulness was gone and instead she had an annoyed edge to it. She was pissed off, and her moodiness had returned. He ignored it, becoming silent himself, he wasn't going to take back his comment.

"Sorry." She said after a minute and then left him alone in the dark as she jogged ahead. He sighed frustrated as he loped after her at an easy rate. He refused to feel guilty about it though; he didn't like her babbling away like she did when she was hyper or stumbling into him, or getting some crazy idea like-

"MUD ANGEL!" Mikan screamed dropping into the grass and making an angel in the mud as she took off her second t-shirt so she was only in her tang top. Her hair was tangled and stained brown as she whipped her head around trying to get rid of the excess.

Mori grimaced at her, "If you break and ankle, I'm not carrying you."

"Fine. I'll get Jin or Tamaki to drag me." She huffed.

"What is with you and Jin?" Mori asked as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mikan turned on him with a glare in her eye.

Mori blinked and cleared his throat, "I didn't mean anything from it Mikan."

"Oh." She looked embarrassed for a minute, "Sorry. Sorry. We're close, we used to partner together."

"Ah." He nodded, "Okay. Hmm, I like toast. Toast with butter, my mother would make me toast with eggs and cheese. Lots of cheese, thanks to cows. I like cows, because cows have polka dots. Not big cool polka dots that are different colors, those would be fun."

"Cows are cool, but chickens are better. Chickens would be nice as blue or purple." Mikan said absently, "So why do you ask?"

"Nothing. Just wondering." Mori shrugged, "He's down since he quit. Tamaki told us it was because of you and you know how the twins get to talking-"

"You listen to them?" Mikan asked. Her shoulders were hunched over, her mirth was gone again and the cold had drifted over as she walked on.

"Can't help." He answered. Mikan eyed him for another minute and then shook her head. He hadn't been expecting her to get so defensive, but dancer's could be strange.

"What did they say?" She asked

'I forget ." He lied. He didn't think he should tell her how the twins were suggesting that Jin was the one to get Mikan fired and quit to earn more publicity ,which made no sense. Haruhi had come to her rescue forcing to bite back their comments. Jin seemed like too nice of a guy to pull something like that. He had been wrong before though.

They walked in silence the rest of the way until they reached the peak of the hill. Mikan left Mori's side as Honey took his place on the giant's shoulders. He had been perfectly happy running around with Jin, who was tall enough to act as a replacement Mori.

"Takashi!" He said happily. Mori smiled lifting Honey on his shoulders. He eyed MIkan who quickly engaged Jin in one her silly games. She climbed on the giant hay bale stack as she leapt on the next one. Her feet kept slipping as she jumped with Jin have to pull her up.

"Thanks!' She giggled again as she sat on her butt, "Where do you think everyone else is?"

Hunny steered him so he stood by the bale they were sitting on as he clambered on. Mori rested against the itchy straw crossing his arms glancing out into the night. The hay bales were stacked high in small squares, like towers . They could have climbed higher, but Mikan had let out a warning that the hay bales were prone to tumbling over with to much rocking.

"Takashi I had so much fun with Jin! He ran with me all around the fields, but I missed you soo much because Jin isn't as tall as you are and it must better when your carrying me." Honey said rather quickly as he gibbered on and on and on.

Mori wasn't sure if he had more energy when he was drunk or on cake. It was almost more scary to see him drunk. There was a glimpse of a flashlight and a chorus of voices. The cry of "Milord" gave it all away though as the Twins crested the hill, Haruhi tugged between them as Tamaki trailed looking ragged.

"Tamaki did you get in fight with a gopher?" Called Mikan from her place as she rested her head on Jin's shoulder.

"No. Running from your sister!" He answered as he panted, "She's crazy!"

"She is. She is, but we do love our goddess!" The twins sang out as they laughed.

"Is that game over then?" Haruhi asked as she let herself hang in their grip.

"I think so." Mikan began as she heard a laughter fill the air.

"I told you I could round them up!"

"Yes it only took an hour and a half of us chasing them through the fields."

"Hey sis." Mikan waved as Kagame looking flushed, grinned and stepped out of the shadows. She had a high beam flashlight in her hand and Kyoya was standing beside her imposing as ever, "Is the game over?"

"Considering I can't feel my legs yes." Kagame answered, "Nothing like a good game of tag hide and seek to sober people, come on my lovlies, we must return to whence we came."

"But only the twins crawled from the dark pit of hell-'" MIkan began to interject as Kagame laughed.

"My dear sister-" She shook her head as she skipped away, "You have much to learn about your true potential."

"WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN!" Mikan yelled after her, leaping off the hay bale as she tore off after her own sister through the fields, as their barking laughter carried back to the crowd.

"Shall we follow suit?" Tamaki posed to those remaining. Haruhi looked ready to sag to the ground, the twins were leaning on each other for support, Honey had clambered back on to Mori's shoulders and was sleeping peacefully. Only Jin and Kyoya seemed to be unchanged as they looked out bored at the others.

"Right! Forward men!" Tamaki ordered as he led the slow march back to the house that had the lights on. It made for an eaiser walk once they got close enough to see the single dirt road leading back, instead of running over the hills. Their were a chorus of moans as they piled back in.

"Okay, sorry guys, but we got to clean and not to mention school-" Mikan trailed off at the last word. She had been there to greet them at the door as they eased aching bodies into chairs. Her eyes locked with Mori who simply turned away and scratched the back of his head.

No one felt like talking, as they quickly shuffled back out to their waiting rides as they pulled out slowly of the dirt and mud.

"Bye-bye Mikan." Honey said softly patting her on the head as she handed him his jacket.

"Bye Honey." She answered staring at Mori, "Bye Mori."

He didn't even look at her this time, as he gave a nod and walked out to his car. The limo pulled away in the dirt and mud following the other two that had already peeled out the drive.

Mikan shut the door, as she glanced at the mess they had made. She turned on the light, slowly picking up the cups and trash and putting it in the big black trash bag she carried around the house.

Haruhi had wandered up stairs and passed out on the guest bed they had made up for her. She had figured she would spend the night instead of stumbling in on her dad who would most likely, well make a scene of her apperence.

Kagame had curled up in the couch room on their purple fuzzy couch wrapped in a cheetah blanket. Her blue hair curled around her face as she happily snored away.

"Night sis." MIkan called closing the door, "And thanks."

She finished about three in the morning as she stretched and sat on the couch. The trash bag could wait to be hauled to one of the big dumpsters by the barn when she could in the morning.

"Still up?"

She jumped at the voice, "Jin? You didn't leave."

"I was going to catch a ride with Mori and Honey, but Kagame offered for me to stay here." He answered happily sinking next to her on the couch. He was in his dark blue jeans and simple green tee. She hadn't seen him when she was cleaning up, he probably had been taking a shower, or reading, or sleeping. She was not quite sure with him.

"Ah." Mikan nodded as she rested against his chest, "So how you doing?"

"Sick to my stomach, worried about my life and where the heck I'm going." He answered, and then added 'The usual."

"Oh." She answered nuzzling closer to him, "Do you remember when we would drink like this?"

"Dance." He laughed, "After the show at the cast party we stumbled back to our dorms at two in the morning.

"We had a lot of fun in New York." Mikan commented, "God, and then all those rumors when we started dating?"

"Yeah." He nodded as he felt her, "Your wet and smelly go take a shower."

"Pft." She answered, but she wandered upstairs. She wandered down later, her hair clean and her skin smelling nice. Jin was still awake staring out onto the back yard as she climbed up next to him.

He always smelled nice, and he was warm. She was in her over sized sweat shirt as she curled up her knees in her sweat pants and laid her head on his lap as he stroked her hair.

"You were so innocent." He clucked his tounge.

"Still am." She rebutted, "We were what 14 or 15? You were so, cute."

"I know, total heart throb.' He laughed, it was a barking laugh as they grew quiet.

"And now I have no where to dance-" She was changing the subject, but she knew that's what was on his mind.

"You still belong to that studio-" He insisted. He was talking about the studio she took classes at where the girls would try for companies if they were good enough or join a company at their colleges and dance their. She had never really tried for anything yet, any parts in their recitals.

"Oh yeah." She nodded, "But I needed to school to keep me in shape. Maybe I should just-"

She wanted to say quit, but the word wouldn't come. After everything that had happened, it was like the world was begging her to give up while she could, as if everything cried that she would never make it.

"Mikan if you say give up, I will drag you through the mud until you say different." He answered

"Fine." She laughed as she crossed her arms, "We made a mess of things, do you think that because we used to be something it followed us?"

"No." Jin answered quickly, "We haven't been anything for a long time, and even then, it was more about me then it was about you. I was that up and coming young star, the raw talent, the potential-'

"Oh yes, and then everyone was amazed when they saw us talking like we were best friends. Those girls could be so mean, they told me that I shouldn't hang out with you, that you were going to kicked out. Then Kagame came and punched the lead in the mouth and no one ever messed with me again."

"Well it did help that you gave them cookies and I told them to leave you alone as well." Jin smiled remembering Kagame's early exploits, "Your sister really took to the dance world."

"She was a looker even then." Mikan answered sighing, "She went through a boyfriend every few weeks, sometimes just those hook up's at preimeres. Mom had no idea what to do if anything, she was happy and terrified that Kagame was going to get preggers."

"Your sister was-"Jin began

"You didn't know." Mikan laughed, "Kagame stopped being a virgin at 16. She was crazy and once she started she didn't want it to stop, but her taste got better and better in men."

"Thank the world for small miricles." Jin sighed lying his head back again.

"Wow honey." Mikan scolded, "Why do you think I knew so much-"

"Internet." He offered with a shrug.

Mikan laughed as she nudged further into his lap listening to his heart beat steady beneath his chest. Jin had a nice sounding heart, it didn't pound to hard or fast and it always kept and even rhythm as it went thump thump thump. He stroked his hand through her hair, as she yawned.

She should be passing out about now, but something kept prodding her, keeping her awake. It buzzed in her mind like an angry bee. Jin would be fine, she wouldn't worry about him. Male dancers were a lot harder to come by then female leads, and Jin, could be one of the best if he really wanted to be.

He had a problem pushing himself to be the very best though, like something held him back in his moves that made his performance move the audience to laughter, to tears, to screams of applause. Jin was like a modern ballet rock star, if that was even possible, Mikan was sure it was.

She thought about leaving her classes at Ouran. That would be a problem, she need to take something else to fill the slot. She liked the Ouran dancer's, they were funny. The ones who took jazz and tap as their principals always teased her when she would go into the locker rooms. It was fun though, not mean, not meant to hurt anyone.

She would miss them and her teachers who came in and snapped when her feet weren't straight. She liked, no she loved to be corrected to make sure she was perfect.

"Mikan, are you okay?" He asked softly as his fingers became knotted in her pink hair.

She sighed, "I want this to go away."

"It will. " He answered, "It will, something will come takes it place and you'll have something else to freak out about."

"Where will you go?" She asked

"I don't know."

Those words were what scared her the most. I don't know, could mean a lot of things. She didn't have many dance friends, maybe she should start trying harder to make time for the girls at the studio. Maybe they would prove to be different, less cut throat then the rest of them. If Jin left, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would be one less person who got her, well most her. Kagame would listen, but talking about dance and routines, wasn't what thrilled her.

She didn't want to talk about dance any more tonight, and took his words of wisdom to heart. She closed her eyes and nodded to sleep as he went on stroking her hair.

A/N: God this chapter went through so many edits its not even funny. Please enjoy and remember to leave a review.

P.S Be warned of friends who comb your chapters like lice on a scalp (lovingly of course)


	31. Fetch, Puppy, Fetch

Enjoy new chapter! New arc has begun! Figure out the mystery before the host club!

...

Chapter Thirty One Fetch, Puppy, Fetch

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Masters, the phone is for you-"

They blinked as they rubbed their eyes. Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other from underneath the very warm covers of their bed. Hikaru threw his arm around his brother who rolled his eyes and reached out one hand to answer it.

"Hello." He drolled into the phone.

"GOOD MORNING MY LIL DEVILS! MY AGENTS OF CHAOS!"

He dropped the phone and groaned, rubbing his head into his brothers chest, digging his hands into his back,

"Brother, "He whined, "The Godess has called to early in the morning."

Hikaru rolled his eyes as he reached down onto the floor and picked up the phone, "Good Morning all that is lovely within the world, how may we serve you?"

"Well first off your eggs are way cold for this hour of the morning and second you don't have any gooseberry jam." Kagame commentd as HIkaru glared at the phone.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as his brother only shrugged.

SLAM!

They jumped four feet in the air letting out a horrible scream, "AHHHHHHH!"

It had come from their double door closet as the door swung back with a horrible cringe.

Kagame stood in fully blue robed glory with a pair of bunny slippers peeping out from beneath it. She was finishing off a piece of toast as she sucked down a cup of tea tossing it to the maids who quickly caught it. She glided over to the edge of the bed as they quickly scrambled out of the way, making sure to stay hidden under the covers.

She belched, and adjusted her robes as she let out a cough, touching up her hair.

"Godess." They ventured, "What are you doing at our house so early this morning?"

They weren't going to ask how she had slipped into their closet or what she was she doing in there, she either tell them with relish or toture them with a coy smile.

She smiled at them as she ripped of her robes. She was dressed already though, in a green high collared dress that had no sleeves. The skirt flared out over the bed almost reaching the floor as her heels tapped on the floor. Her nails were painted long and green like the dress as her hair was twisted in some contorted bun.

"I wanted to see if your toast had improved." She answered turning over on her tummy and scooting up on the bed, "For the truth though, Kyoya would have killed me if I did this-"

"You would dare try this on the shadow lord. 'They whispered edging foreward toward her. Kagame had become one of the household very quickly. Their mother had taken to her at the dinner party, and Kagame's previous 'modeling' experience proved to be useful when she wanted a test subject. Then of course Kagame had never really learned to leave.

When she wasn't at her own house, she was roaming the halls of the mansion and gardens chasing butterflies and drawing. They weren't sure how to get rid of her, or better yet how to keep her from getting back in once she left.

"What do you demand of us today Goddess?" They asked. It was useless to resist her demands', she would do horrible things, unspeakable things if they did.

"What do I demand?" She flicked her hair and pointed at her chest and then lifted a finger to tap her chin., "Hmmm, frog eyes and toad ears and little puppy tails."

"Fresh out." Kaoru answered.

"Come back tommorow." Hikaru chimed in as they un furled from the covers and began to put on their uniforms. It was after all a school day. They lucky enough weren't to hung over from the night before which made it all the stranger for Kagame to be over. She usually only bothered them on the weekends or the evenings.

"Aw, then I have a different demand, besides your weekly sacrifice." She laughed as she turned her back staring at the wall finding it more interesting. They dressed quickly as she turned back around.

"Oh don't we look handsome." She smiled as she swung her legs off the bed. Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other as they shrugged on the mandatory blue blazer's.

"You haven't told us what you need." They argued, "And we will be late for breakfast soon."

"Boys, let us discuss it over toast then." Kagame answered as she led them by the ties down the stairs. She let go as se once again glided to the room as she swung open the door with no effort. The table was already and set and ready for them to begin as Kagame took her place at the head. Their mother was in Monaco and their father with her leaving the house rather empty.

"So." She smiled as they piled on the eggs and toast and orange juice, "I need your help my evil minions."

"Evil?" They asked, "We are hardly that! We are mischevious, spiteful, sarcastic, noble,-"

"And perfect for my needs." She smiled as she clasped her hands together, "I want you to watch my sister."

"Watch?" They asked glancing at her.

"Yes. Mikan has been acting oddly-" She smiled as she sighed, "I'm worried."

"Weird is the puppies nature." They answered as they glanced at each other, 'But do go on?"

"She was singing this morning, she was skipping to the car." She glanced at her fingers, "She is recovering from her dreams being crushed, and she's singing. I think she's repressing all her emotions in order to appear happy."

"Where do we come in?" The twins asked, "Besides Mikan is always happy."

"She is not." Kagame clucked her tounge at them stirring her coffee slowly as the steam rose up and curled around in the air, "I'm worried. Mikan as you both know is a little well obsseded about dance and her career. Being expelled from dance at Ouran has shall we say, locked a few doors and closed a few windows for her."

"We don't have influence to get her back in." They began as Kagame stopped them by holding up her hand.

"You don't need to." She answered with a slight shrug of her shoulders, "But Mikan can be unstable at times when she's in a lot of turmoil. It would just be a big help if you two spied on her for the whole day. It should keep you plenty amused knowing what goes on at that school-"

She had trailed off and rolled her eyes taking a long gulp of her coffee as she set the cup back down on the saucer, "So how about it?"

The twins glanced at each other and grinned, "We would be delighted oh great exalted being that we are not worthy to be near."

"No, no your not." She nodded happy with their answers as she glanced a pocket watch on a long silver chain, "Your going to be late for school. You should arrive just before Mikan does, don't act any differently then you would."

"We won't." They chimed as they rose from the table leaving the Goddess to do what ever else she would do in their house for the day.

Their bags were waiting for the front door as they sauntered out the front drive to the waiting limo.

"School." They said simply as the driver up front nodded and the car lurched forward. They watched as the scenes flashed by the car window as they exchanged glances.

"So what do you think Kagame was suggesting Mikan would do?" Hikaru started, "We've seen her do lots of crazy things since she became a member of the host club."

"True. I think its more of her worry that she'll cry again." Kaoru answered, "She does have a lot of tears."

"She only does that in the moment when she's really upset." Hikaru answered glancing at him, "Maybe she'll be boring and this will prove to be nothing but an ordinary day."

And it was proving to be quite that as they simply stood by the front doors of the school. It was just as the first time they had run into Mikan, well they had scoffed at her and ignored her and teased her and made her cry-

"Brother here she comes." Hikaru whisperd as the Puppy sauntered up on the back of her friend Jin. Well he could count as their friend in a few ways, but it was not like they roamed within the same social levels. Jin was wearing a bright neon pink shirt with his blue blazer, the black tie hanging lazily around his neck.

Mikan was in her usual yellow plaid skirt and oxford, the red tie as she giggled waving her rain boots. Kagame had a right to be worried, the twins hadn't seen Mikan this happy since she had eaten a half jar of nutella.

"Do you think its Jin?" Karou glanced at his brother, "Perhaps they are dating?"

Hikaru considered it for a minute, "No. No. We would have known."

Kaoru glanced back as Mikan played with Jin's hair, as she gave his cheek a peck and jumped of his back, calling good bye ,"Maybe. Here she comes."

Hikaru smiled as he grabbed his brother's arm and stepped in front of the path blocking her way.

"Puppy." They greeted as they titled their heads and leaned forward, "What has got you all excited? It is spring time."

Mikan looked at them and then glanced around as she laughed, "It's to cold to be spring. And its to early for you to be so friendly, what are you doing? Do you want some brownies?"

"You have brownies?' They asked suddenly confused as Mikan laughed throwing her head back.

"None for you." She answered as she pushed by them. They caught her hair as she leaned back.

"Can I help you?" She asked as she crossed her arms and glared them, "Give me my hair back."

"No." They answered staring harder as she let them have a good smack on either side of their heads as she shook out her hair.

"Its to early for you to be so annoying to, come by third class, then bug me." Mikan answered as she stalked off into the front hall.

"Puppy wait for us." They begged instead as she took one look at them and set off in a jog, "Are we that scary?"

"Maybe she thinks you want something."

They turned as Jin greeted them with a wave of his hand, "Don't give up though, she needs to work on her endurance."

"What do you want commoner?" They hissed as they tried to stare down at Jin who gave them a smug smile and threw his arms around their shoulders tugging them close to his face.

"Well I could tell you." He glanced first at Kaoru and Hikaru, "But I like to see you squirm and guess, I heard you liked to play games."

When they didn't answer he laughed and folded over onto the floor in a hand stand as he flipped over and gave a bow, "So what game do you want to play? I like tag, and fetch. Fetch is fun."

"Fetch what?" They started

"You'll see." Jin answered with a wave of his hand as he skipped down the hall.

"That was-"Kaoru began.

"Strange ." Hikaru agreed, "Stupid commoner."

"Indeed." Kaoru shook his head, "Come on let us find the least strange of all commoners."

"Haruhi."Hikaru smiled as they walked down the hall. The masses of yellow girls swarmed and swooned as they passed who they give a little passing notice with a small wave of their hands. They were more interested when they threw their arms around each other.

"Good morning Hikaru and Kaoru." Haruhi greeted. She was yawning as she rubbed the back of her head, "You seem awful awake."

"We're not." They answered crossing their arms as Haruhi simply shrugged, "Class begins soon."

"Prompt as always.' They teased as they began forward walking down the hall, "Haruhi what does the game of fetch mean to you?"

"To me?" She asked, 'People play it with their dogs. They throw balls and sticks and the dog runs and bring it back to their master. Why?"

"Jin asked us if we wanted to play." They began.

"Jin? You mean Mikan's friend?" She asked, "Why?"

"We don't know." They answered as Haruhi rolled her eyes, "He was probably kidding around guys."

"But-" They raised a finger, Haruhi wasn't listening as she turned her back to them. They hung their heads defeated and sighed as they walked further down the hall. The thought would not leave them alone as it turned over and over, play fetch, but what could that mean?

…

The twins sat in class as they tapped their fingers on the desk, drumming away as the minutes ticked off one by one off the clock. They should be doing something useful besides wasting precious time in class.

"Sensei!"" They raised their hands, "May we be excused?"

"For what?" Their teacher asked. A prim woman with a steely gaze, but she knew they had a reputation for causing trouble, but never in her class. It helped them when they needed to be somewhere quickly.

"Please Sensei! Please!" They begged clasping their hands together as they leaned on their desks.

"Fine." She waved a hand, "If you do not return by the end of class-"

But they were halfway out of the classroom as the door slammed behind them. They smiled and high faved as they swung their bags and walked down the hall.

"What shall we do now brother?" Hikaru asked with a bounce in his step.

"I suppose we should find the puppy and see that she hasn't gotten into trouble." Karou answered

"Where would she be right now?" Hikaru tapped a finger against his chin, "We should find Kyoya in order to find Mikan, because the shadow king knows-"

"What are you doing?" a voice asked behind them as the twins leaped into the air.

The shadow king glared down upon them as they managed a weak smile.

"We were looking for puppy." They began.

"Why? So you can bother her?" Kyoya replied pushing the glasses up the ridge of his nose.

"No." The twins crossed their arms, "We wanted to make sure she was alright."

"That is uncharastically nice of you." Kyoya answered,' Are you jealous?"

"Jealous?" They cried, "Of what?"

"Oh nothing." Kyoya shrugged, "You seem to be awfully clingy though, maybe your annoyed that she no longer seems to care so much about what you think-"

"What are you talking about?" The twins demanded, "We don't like the puppy any more than the rabid mongrel she is, no matter how cute!"

"Lower your voices." Kyoya said calmly waking on, "I'm not suggesting anything, and stop calling her 'rabid' or 'mongrel' behind her back, it isn't proper. People may begin saying-"

"Saying what?" The twins hit their knees, "Please tells us Shadow Lord."

"No, if you're not clever enough to figure it out for yourselves. Its really quite sad." Kyoya turned as he continued to walk down the hall.

"Why would he say we were jealous?" Hikaru glanced at his brother who shrugged.

"I don't know. The same reason maybe he said we should stop calling her names, to her back." Karou answered, "Kyoya can be very mysterious."

It bothered them though as they walked along the halls wandering now. Kyoya hadn't mentioned where Mikan was either which was proving to be annoying.

"I remember now, Mikan had dance at this hour." Hikaru snapped his fingers.

"Do we even now where the studio rooms are?" Karou started as Hikaru simply tugged him along.

"See-"He pointed to the sign above the wooden door, "Dance studio, come on."

They pushed open the door softly, as they glanced around the wide space. There was no classes going on, every room darkened. They leaned up against the one-way glass, but no music was being played.

"This is strange." Karou commented,"Maybe she didn't have class today, since she got kicked out."

"Still." Hikaru answered as they walked further down. The rooms and lighting became scarce as the rooms became darker and darker. They walked side by side as the dark closed around them, pressing on them. They could still see just fine, but the silence of their foot falls did not help.

They reached the ending, as they turned back running into something solid.

"Ommp." They managed together, "What was that-"

They stared for a moment as they realized it was, "Mori? What are you doing out of class?"

"Mikan." He said simply.

"Where's honey?" They looked for the blonde midget that was always by the giant's side.

"He's napping in the nurses office. Bad Headache." Mori answered simply again.

"Oh." They moved forward and then turned, "You wouldn't happen to know where Mikan was would you?"

He gave a sharp nod of his head as he took the lead walking back out of the room labeled studio. They walked in silence as the twins sighed, they were bored looking for Mikan .If the puppy didn't show up soon, they were going to give up.

"Mori were are we going?" They started, but Mori seemed to be swimming in his own thoughts as they jumped and waved their hands trying to get his attention. Mori would just blink and keep on walking.

"Aya! This is so boring." Karou moaned as he slouched over in the walk, "Where are you puppy!"

"Shh! You want a sensei to catch us?" Hikaru glared at him. Karou only shrugged, as they walked along.

"Are you still searching for Mikan?"

They turned as they waved at the shadow lord. He was very creepy and surprisingly stealthy raising almost out of the ground.

"Yes." They answered after another minute, "Do you know where she is?"

"Know that you mention it I haven't seen her in the halls all day. Perhaps she went home early." Kyoya shrugged, "Will you be attending host club?"

"Why wouldn't we?" The twins crossed their arms.

"You may forget in your search." Kyoya answered, "You already missed lunch."

"It's noon?" They blanched, "We couldn't have been gone for that long."

Kyoya ignored them as he turned and went his own way, passing by Mori as well with a nod of his head to acknowledge him.

"Damn Puppy." They cursed together, "She owes us lunch now."

They started down the halls again, following Mori who walked on as if nothing had transpired. It was another few minutes until they understood where they were be lead. Ouran had an elite riding team and most of the horses were boarded at the school since they had a surplus of land. The twins had never really taken to riding, well Kaoru enjoyed hunting, Hikaru avoided horses for the most part.

They were big, smelly, beasts who had a love affair with his hair. Kaoru insisted that it was simply because they liked him, but he suspected it's because his hair was the same color of a carrot.

"Ah, it makes sense for Mikan to take refuage with her beloved horses. I didn't know she rode at the school." Hikaru commented as his brother nodded in agreement.

"She probably has a horse boarded here." Kaoru went on, "So maybe she's been riding. I thought I would have heard something about it."

They entered the first barn as the horses raised their heads with soft knickers of recongnition. There was a chorus of voices as a team of riders walked out the ring laughing and talking with each other.

"Uh excuse us-" The twins began as the girls paused and swooned.

"Kya! Hikaru and Kaoru what are you doing here?" They asked as they suddenly swarmed them.

"Were looking for our puppy." They explained.

"Aww! The puppy!" They cried again together. Everyone knew who Mikan was, she had a reputation at the host club even before her dance escapades were played out for the whole school, "Where's the puppy! Are you playing fetch?"

"No." They said sharply, "We're just trying to find her. Have you seen her?"

"No." They laughed together as tall girl with a crop in her hand spoke up, "Why would she be running around here? Puppies can get smooshed beneath horses."

"Mya." Another girl smiled at her friend, "That is a terrible thing to say."

"It's the truth." Mya answered.

Mya, the twins knew her well from their time as well, brief time as ballerina's from France. She was the most self centered person they knew next to Tamaki, but with a sharp tounge and an evil smirk. It was no secret that Mya was Mikan's rival either.

"Well we hope you don't cause it." The twins said as they leaned in smiling all the while, "It would be a hard thing to explain how you let the puppy get trampled."

The girls were quiet as the twins laughed, "We kid! Our puppy is to stupid to come out here."

They laughed as well, but it was a nervous laugh as they hurried on by with the excuse that they had to change before class began again. The twins shook their heads, Mikan would not be doing something stupid, she was highly capable of it, but not around horses.

"Ah."

They turned, they had forgotten Mori was behind them. He held a piece of a paper in his hand as the twins snatched it.

"Where did you find this?" They asked. Mori pointed to a cubby with a pair of boots with polka dots. The same boots Mikan had worn to school this morning.

The twins unfolded the letter as they read the quickly sprawled out hand writing.

_Had to go early. Sorry about mess, will clean up later. Owe you new pair of boots. _

_M _

"So-" The twins started, "Mikan made a mess and had to leave boots, or someone owe her boots, than who's shoes is she wearing?"

"Can I help you boys?"

They jumped as Mori watched landing on the ground with a thump. A tall woman stood with a tight braid running down her back that reached her waist. She had a crop in her hand as well, but this one was made of leather and twice as long.

"Students who are not riding are not aloud in the stables." She crossed her arms.

"We're looking for our friend, Mikan." They answered, "She has pink hair. We thought she may be riding here."

"Oh yes. I remember Mikan." She nodded, "Made a mess with the hay today trying to feed horses, she seemed very excited for a strange reason."

"Why would she need a new pair of boots?" HIkaru asked

"Do I look like I have the answer." The woman snapped, "I don't have time, there's a second class coming in."

"Please do you at least know who M is?" The twins countered

"M." The woman paused, "M. No. Well, yes, actually, there's only other girl with Mikan today, Mona, Mimi, ah no, Momo. Why mikan needs new boots is beyond me-" The woman didn't finish her sentence as the twins turned and sprinted out the nearest door and across the lawn.

"So now we just have to find Momo." They panted, "Do we know where Momo is?"

"This way." Mori called as he loped in front of them. They panted as they followed him back into the school and up the stairs, stopping at a pair of doors labled Music Room 1.

Mori opened the doors slowly, and he walked in quietly as he could careful. The twins followed behind him, as they glanced around. There was a single music stand set up as a girl with plaited long black hair played the violin.

She wasn't the best, the twins twitched every time she hit a bad note.

"Excuse us-" They began again as the girl stopped and smiled and bowed.

"Greetings Hikaru and Kaoru." The girl smiled wider as she placed down the violin, "Can I help you?"

"Your momo right-" They began.

"Yes." She smiled, "This isn't the third music room."

"We know that!" They argued as she let out a high pitch giggle.

"What can I help you with?" She asked again.

"We're looking for Mikan. She left her rain boots in the stable." They answered as she shook her head.

"Oh dear. She's probably got yelled at for running around bare footed. She lent me her rain boots so I go riding, I had left my riding boots at home. " Momo explained as she twirled her hair, "She's silly like that."

"Do you know where she's gone?" They asked again as she stared at them curious and then shook her head.

"I would say she would be with Jin." She answered, "Mori are you alright."

The twins glanced at Mori who seemed to be just fine despite his fist being clenched tightly as he stared out at the window.

"How do you know Mori?" The twins eyed her, "Are you seeking favors from host members?"

"No." Momo said quietly as she blushed, "Mori and I just both enjoy violin music. I once had him as a host and invited him to come hear me play."

"Oh." The twins slumped embarrassed, "Sorry for our poor behavior."

Momo simply turned her back to them and picked up her violin as she began to slide the bar across the string. The twins exited quickly as they could as they shut the door behind them. The eerie music followed them down the hall, as the notes became jarred and then light once more.

"Strange girl." Hikaru commented.

"She's very shy." Kaoru noted as he eyed Mori who had not changed at all, "So now we have to find Jin again."

"Oh like that will be easy." Hikaru scratched his head, "They seem to spend an awaful lot of time together for being just friends."

"Who? Mikan and Jin-"Kaoru finished, "Hmm, that's what I noticed. Maybe their more then friends, maybe they have been for a long time."

"It would explain many things." HIkaru nodded deeply as he smiled, "Of course I don't doubt it at all for a minute."

The hall was full of students changing classes as the girls in yellow perked their ears and turned their heads to the twins.

"Brother not here."Kaoru begged, "We promised to keep her secret."

"Oh its no secret how they hang onto each other." HIkaru rolled his eyes, "He was wearing her pink shirt after the party-"

"True and he did sleep over." Kaoru nodded deeply as he smiled at his brother.

There were whispers on the side of Who? Who? They all knew they were talking about puppy, but the mystery boy made their hearts thump. The twins smiled wider.

"Of course, it's probably why he quit." Kaoru shrugged, "He couldn't stand to be away from her. It must be a deep love."

"True love." HIkaru answered, "It would explain why they skipped class today-"

"What are you two going on about?"

They stopped mid sentence as they glanced down and patted Haurhi's head.

"Haruhi!' They smiled, "Didn't you hear the news?"

"What news?" She crossed her arms, "We need to get to Math, schools almost over."

She walked by them, as they turned and followed smiling at the rumors. They strained their ears to the whispers as an explosion of giggles raced across and by them.

"Where is Mikan?" Haruhi turned to them as they had been trying to suppress their laughter about th missing puppy.

"We don't know. We've been trying to find her all day.' They shrugged, "She probably is with Jin."

"Well I hope she comes to host club today," Haruhi answered, "I don't want to have to serve tea and host, my head is reeling."

"Maybe we won't have it if Honey sempi isn't here." The twins answered as they laughed, "Don't worry about Mikan-"

"Why would I be worried?" Haruhi asked, "She's probably nursing a head ahce or something."

"To the nurses then." The twins smiled as they partially skipped off. They were disappointed to learn that the nurse hadn't seen Mikan at all. They had asked again, saying she was a girl with pink hair and the nurse had replied she knew Mikan because of the burns she treated.

The twins had thanked her and left fustrated. Where was the puppy? They wanted to tease her about her secret love and she was hiding from them. She probably knew and was sobbing that they had said all sort of nasty things about her and Jin. Or she was getting ready to kick their asses, it all really depended on the mood she was in.

"Mori any sign?" They asked as they passed him in the hall. Mori kept on walking as if he hadn't heard them, "Mori come on, what's wrong?"

Mori turned, and shrugged his shoulders and continued down the hall.

"This is annoying." Hikaru ran a hand through his hair, "Do you have her cell phone?"

"Yeah." Kaoru pulled out his phone as he hit the speed dial, "I'm just getting the answering machine."

"What now?" Hikaru shifted on his feet, "We're late for class, and we have spent the whole day looking for Mikan."

"It's about time for the host club." Kaoru sighed, "I'm bored brother."

"Well then let us see if we can't see what mayheam our rumors have brought." HIkaru smiled as they linked arms laughing to Music Room Three.

Mori was there waiting in a chair as his leg pumped up and down on the ground like he was nervous. Haruhi was flipping through a book and the other were absent.

"Where is everybody?" They demanded

Haruhi shrugged, "Maybe we don't have host club today."

"But that's not like Kyoya to simply cancel host club." The twins argued as Haruhi sighed.

"I don't mind. I like having a break." She skimmed another page, "Why are you two so worked up? Are you worried about Mikan?"

"Worried! Why would be worried! She can take care of herself!" They almost began to shout waving their arms. Haruhi glanced at them and then went back to her book.

"You two need to stop being so defensive, people are going to begin to wonder." Haruhi said simply.

"Wonder what?" Hikaru demanded.

"Well when a boy usually treats a girl meanly, my dad said it meant he liked her." Haruhi answered, "And the way your acting people are going to think you like the puppy."

"WE DON"T LIKE THAT STUPID RABID MONGREAL!" They yelled as their voices echoed off the walls.

"Okay." Haruhi said simply, "Please don't yell next time, I'm trying to read."

"Your no help. " They huffed pacing, back and forth on the floor, "We don't want people to think that we like puppy."

"Okay. Then don't be so defensive." Haruhi answered.

"We're going to go find Kyoya and see if we have host club today." The twins said as they walked out the doors. They hadn't gone very far when Momo came panting up to them.

"I have a note." She panted, "A strange boy passed it to me when I was leaving to meet my friends."

_Your puppy is on a trip._

_Jin is a master thief. _

_Find your puppy before he steals her. _

_Go on Fetch. _

-Jizo

"Want her back?" The twins started, "What does this mean?"

"Mikan-told me-"Momo leaned over again, "That she was thinking of going back to dance in New York City. Kagame told her to think it over and not to rush into anything, but-she was running down the hall with Jin, yelling about going back home."

"It's been one day since she's expelled and she's running away!" Hikaru demanded, "I bet Jin talked her into it."

"Jin." Kaoru glared and nodded, "There is something off about that dancer."

"Uh huh." Momo nodded, "Let me know if she decides to stay. I'll have to go tell our friends."

The girl slid along the wall as she pulled out her cell phone texting away at the keys, as it began to ring over and over again. The twins turned back to the club finding only Haruhi sitting in the same spot.

"So do we have host club today?" She asked looking up from her book.

"We have bigger problems!" The twins answered, "Mikan is going back to New York."

Haruhi blinked, "Of course she is. She's going to leave without saying good bye to any of her friends, any of us, and just run away to New York City. Mikan isn't going to New York."

"She's going to rejoin her old company-"The twins began.

"Did you hear from Mikan or someone else?" Haruhi asked.

"Her friend momo-"They tried again.

"Mikan says a lot of things and rumors get spread." Haruhi answered, "Like the one that's going around that her and Jin are going out."

"But they are." They insisted, "Can't you read the signs!"

"No they're not." Haruhi answered, "Don't you know-"

The host club doors slammed open as a stream of girls rushed in followed by Kyoya, who was smiling.

"We're having host club today." He announced, "Mori is fetching Honey if your wondering, you two managed to avoid all your classes for today."

"But-but-"They handed him the note.

Kyoya glanced over it, "Your point? So perhaps Mikan has left on vacation-"

"But-but-"The twins began again.

"No buts, the puppy may be late or else she'll alert me that she's gone on vaction." Kyoya shrugged, "If your really all that worried, I'll call Kagame."

He turned away as the twins cringed and tugged at their hair in fustration. The puppy could have been into a million things by now and all of them horrible.

"Kagame, hello-"Kyoya began, as he paused, "Um no I haven't seen Mikan. Well calm down I'm sure she'll be out in a minute. Okay well that doesn't make a difference."

He paused, "Alright, so Mikan is missing. Well she's with Jin, I'm sure she just-."

He paused again, as he glared at the phone, "HOW IS THIS MY FAULT! I WAS KEEPING TABS ON HER ALL AFTERNOON! I SAW HER GO TO EACH PLACE AND MADE SURE SHE WENT TO CLASS! THIS IS NOT MY FAULT IF SHE RUNS OUT OF ME!"

"Excuse us-" The twins glared, "She asked you-to watch her to! KAGAME YOU LIED TO US!"

"Correction I didn't lie." Kagame voice drifted over the phone, "And it doesn't matter know, Mikan is out of my control and probably off to do something stupid."

"It is isn't our fault." The twins argued pointing at the phone.

"I will resolve this." Kyoya told her calmly, "I had a gps chip implanted in her cell phone in case she was ever late to host club."

The twins glanced at him horrified as they crawled away horrified.

"We had no idea that shadow kings obession." They whispered to each other.

"Mikan where are you?" Kyoya's voice filled the room as the girls had taken their seats ready for the club to start.

Haurhi was busy entertaining as the twins slumped over onto the couch beside her sobbing.

"Oh we've lost the puppy! No the puppy has run away! This means Haruhi you must revert to being the host club dog until we can find a replacement."

"What! The PUPPY HAS RUN AWAY! OH I WAS A BAD MASTER! A HORRIBLE MASTER! IT"S ALL MY FAULT! OH MIKAN WHERE ARE YOU?"

The twins stopped mid sob as they glanced up and over the back of the couch, Tamaki was chasing himself in circles pulling at his hair.

"PUPPY! COME BACK!" He screamed at the air. The twins turned back around and smiled, "Well we didn't like her that much any way, it will be good to have a new puppy around the house."

"Stop that." Haruhi turned to each of them, "Those are horrible things to say right now, she just got expelled from dance and here you are trying to kick her out of the club."

"MIKAN WAS EXPELLED!"

They weren't sure were the cry first came from, but it didn't matter, the truth had been let out.

The twins blinked at the up roar as the girls were texing more than talking or were they talking more than texting, or talking and texting and calling.

"We will save the puppy! I'll order a full assault on Jin's parents home! The commoner will not be able to with stand our fire power!" Tamaki said as he pulled out his phone that was quickly snatched away by Kyoya.

"No." He ordered, as he clicked the phone shut, "That is a horrible idea."

"But-but He must have taken her to his home, where else could they have gone." Tamaki began as Kyoya had pulled out his computer.

"Do you keep tabs on all of us?" The twins asked glancing over his shoulder.

"No. Only the puppy for various finical reasons." Kyoya answered, "Ah the last call she placed was to the airport. I'll just do some-" He stopped as he rose up and moved to a different seat as he continued to type away.

"Shadow lord is secretive." The twins glanced at each other as they moved away, "So Milord how does it feel to have failed the puppy? She ran away because you were such a bad master."

"I know! I know!" Tamaki cried, as he stood upon a chair, "but this I swear I will not breathe, nor sleep, nor bathe until the puppy is safe once again in my arms. For she is my puppy and I her master and our bond is stronger than water, stronger than blood, stronger than the strongest thing in the world-"

"Tamaki." Kyoya said simply, "We must leave if we're going to catch the flight. Princesses if you will excuse us, we have to fetch our puppy."

"We're going to New York now?" The twins asked, "But we're not packed-"

"Arrangments have been made." Kyoya answered, "For how ever long our stay will take us."

"What going on?" Haruhi asked startled as the girls had quickly left , "What happened?'

"We're going to New York City in America." Tamaki announced, " A city of lights and culture."

"Tamaki I don't have a passport." Haruhi answered, "And I have school-and packing-"  
"Haruhi I have your passport." Kyoya said simply, as he pulled it out of his jacket, "I had it in case you ever needed to leave the country."

"Uh thanks." Haruhi said simply, as she thought to herself , Leave the country? What's that supposed to mean?

"And your father will be alerted as to your absence and the school will over look ours." He said with a wave of his hand, "Don't worry your grades won't suffer. I don't except we'll be gone more than a few days to a week."

"A week!" Haruhi jaw dropped.

"If we are going to New York we are going to make the best of it, even if we're chasing a puppy." Kyoya answered with a small smile, "No worries I can order the annulment of the marriage-"

"Marriage?" Haruhi asked, "You do realize that Jin is-"

She was cut short again, by Tamaki's screams as he searched for Mori and Honey. The pair wandered in from the doors, as Tamaki gave them a long speech.

"Aww and we didn't even get her a wedding present. Will there be wedding cake?" Honey asked as he swung Mori's hand. The giant had gone still as he clenched his one fist until the knuckles turned white.

"Ow. Takashi your grip is to tight." Honey whined as Mori quickly let go and lifted him onto his back.

"Let's go. We're wasting time here." He said simply.

"Off to fetch the puppy!" The twins sang as they linked arms with each other and headed off through the doors.

Haruhi had given up trying to stop any of them. She didn't want to try and deny going on the trip when Kyoya seemed so bent on all of them going.

"Here we go again." She sighed as they walked in mass down the hall. She could hear the giggles and laughter as she sighed. The rumors were going to be a forest fire by the time they returned.

...

Ah yep. So review, fav, or alert. Thanks!


	32. Not the Best Start

This Chapter is Dedicated to all my loyal fans, but most to Single-Black Rose. I hope this makes you laugh and cheers you up! Puppy sends her kisses!

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Chapter Thirty Two

"Tamaki what on the earth are you wearing?" Haruhi asked the host club king who was proudly displaying an I heart NY shirt as he stood with his hands on his hips.

"This Haruhi! This is America! A country known for its people! It's mix of fantastic cuisine!" He announced holding his hands in the air as if trying to gesture around.

"Looks the same.' She answered as she raised an eyebrow and shifted her sweater, "Except all the signs are in English."

"THE SAME!" Tamaki stared at her, "We are having a very rare occurrence! WE have landed in a commoner's airport."

"Yes." She nodded. She supposed she should have been more en thrilled with being able to go out of the country for the first time, but some how the situation was weighed down by the fact that well-Tamaki was making her expirence just a tad over rated. "We're in an airpot."

"Yes. Glance about at your kind swarming together like great herds of cattle-" Tamaki smiled, "It is amazing."

"Milord if you're finished with gawking at the commonor's we would appreciate that you could move on to pick up our bags." The twins stared with their arms crossed. Haruhi shook her head, they looked out of place with their checkered scarves and over sized sunglasses, but they swore but what they wore. She felt plenty comfortable in her jeans and grey sweater with the over sized sleeves.

"Fine. Fine." Tamaki answered with a wave of his hand, "Haruhi be sure to take avid care to your surroundings-"

Harhui rolled her eyes, "No." She half muttered it though as Tamaki continued on with out paying much mind to what she had protested. She let her eye wander though, she had never seen so many travelers in one place. She caught the hints of Spanish or French floating through the air, the twins seemed to be happily conversing or rather teasing Tamaki in it.

She glanced around, the rest of the host club it seemed had run off well Honey had seemed in tent on seeing the giant machine that Kyoya had told him about where the luggage came out. She kept her steady pace as she yawned, it was technically five in the morning.

"Come on Haruhi." The twins ordered grabbing themselves each an arm as they heaved her forward. She realized her feet were hardly tossing the ground as they skipped forward laughing as they went.

"Haruhi! Wait for me!" Tamaki cried after them as he panted to keep up. Haruhi felt her arms begin to go numb ever so slowly as the twin's shrill voices made her wish she was deaf at least for the moment.

They had begun to hang around her more, she noticed. She didn't mind them, hanging off her, she was getting used to them, slowly. She shrugged them off or at least tried to as they threw their heads back and laughed.

"Haruhi!" Karou started.

"You'll never believe what's happened-" Hikaru finished.

"You're getting married?" She smirked to herself wishing Mikan was there to pry them off her. They only blinked and shrugged to themselves as they shook their heads.

"No. We're going shopping!" They announced as they threw their hands up, "We can't tromp around New York City with you dressed as a filithy commoner."

"I'm quite happy in my clothes." She answered ignoring their previous comments.

"Pft." The twins shrugged, "Milord why does Haruhi resemble more of a poor servant than your daughter?"

"Oh! I've neglected my duties!" Tamaki yelled, "Don't worry Haruhi! Daddy will make it better." As she watched him sprint into some shop. She closed her eyes as the twins almost dragged her forward, this was not happening.

"Here-"Tamaki panted as he ran back to her doubled over, "I wasn't sure what color or size you were so I brought one of each."

She opened one eye as he held five different I love New York shirts. She sighed, "I don't want one, thanks Tamaki."

"But-But-But" Tamaki started, "This is the finest commoner's of New York have to offer you! It's a part of their heritage! You must wear one! We'll be matching!"

"No." She answered again as Tamaki turned away. She sighed again, "Tamaki hand me the white one, I'll wear it later."

'YEAH!" The host club king cried jumping in the air as he handed the others to the nearest person passing by, which happened to be an elderly woman, "Here! Enjoy the New York hospitality."

"Oh please no." Haruhi felt her face go red as the twins were shaking with laughter almost besides themselves.

"It will look smashing." They told her, as she folded the shirt under her arm and they started forward once more. She really wanted the trip to be over now or at least have some time to sleep.

They came to a sudden halt letting her hit the ground. She grumbled as she picked herself up slowly and brushed off. She stared at the machine that spun the luggage around in a circle as she heard the familiar WHEE! Of Honey.

"Hi ya Haru-chan!" Honey called from his seat as he suddenly disappeared again around the corner.

"Isn't that illegal?" Haruhi started as Mori finally snatched up Honey putting him on his shoulders as Honey laughed.

"Where's my bag?" Tamaki yelled as he pushed through the crowd, 'Oh there it goes."

"Hey!" someone yelled as Tamaki grabbed a hold of the things one bulking handle.

"Aya! This is so heavy." Tamaki heaved as he stumbled back and the bag shot over his head into the center of the floor.

"Sorry. Sorry." Tamaki bowed as he ran to rescue his poor bag that he cradled in his arms for a moment. Haruhi could only shake her head as she glanced at the belt, "Did you see our bags yet?"

"Nope. We assume Kyoya must have already had them picked off." The twins shrugged as they tuned with wide grins, "Haruhi your going to have to blend better in New York. You may be a commoner, but that's no way to dress in this city."

"Let's just go." Haruhi mumbled, "And there's nothing wrong with my sweater."

"No. No. " The twins shook their heads back and forth, "Of course not." As they walked on either side of her. Haruhi matched their steps for once, as she glanced at the large white van.

"No Limo?" She asked them as they seemed equally confused and hurt.

"No limo." The twins sobbed as they held each other, "We must travel as the commoner's do. This is most horrible!"

"Not horrible." Kyoya's voice answered, as he appeared beside them, "The van is convenient for where we're going I don't want our presence announced to all of New York's elite."

"Oh, but we do." The twins answered, "We're used to the spot light, the camera's, the magazines."

"The annoying paparazzi that will not only spread more rumors about us but hinder our search for the puppy. Remember American's do no have the same rules of privacy, their media cover everything about the private life." Kyoya answered as he opened the van doors.

"But a van-" The twins repeated as Honey ran past them laughing.

"Whee! Look the seats are in rows! Like a bus!" Honey laughed as he jumped up and down on them, "I call window seat!"

"At least Honey has taken to it." The twins muttered as Tamaki came running by as well.

"QUICK IN THE COMMONER"S VIECHLE!" He was screaming as the twins threw a glance over their shoulder. There seemed to be an angry mob gathering for the sliding airport doors ready to burst into the traffic. Haruhi was right beside them as they tossed their suit cases in to the back. Or rather on to the last row of seats beside her as she was mashed against the wall.

Kyoya climbed calmly into the passenger seat as the driver gave a nod and pulled out into Airport traffic following the long stretch of road.

Tamaki was on the floor panting and gasping for air as Honey poked Mori who nudged him with his foot.

"Is there something wrong?" Honey asked, "Tama-chan?"

"Nothing. Nothing." Tamaki managed, "Commoner's do not take well to being called commoner's. "

"Really tell us more." Haruhi snorted as she tossed the rest of the bags into the backspace of the van.

"I didn't mean to insult them. I was engaged in trying to buy some of their ultra cheap candy-" He began as Haruhi turned her back. She needed to find something to distract her for the rest of the ride. She didn't like waiting in cars to long, not when her legs were going to be cramp.

"And after I stole his cane and fenced several minutes with the master I did a fantastic back flip-" Tamaki continued.

"Here headphones." Haruhi muttered, as she felt around for her bag, as she collapsed back into her seat. She would look for it later.

"And finally I had to use the can of soda to stop them.' Tamaki finished as Haruhi glanced at him. She must have come in at the wrong end of the conversation.

"Tamaki as much I would love to believe that was all true, I'm sure it had something to do with you over reacting and causing a small panic." Kyoya answered not bothering to turn around, "Hopefully nothing to drastic will prevent us from using the same airport to fly home."

'How far until the city?" Honey started as he yawned and kicked the back of the chair.

"Not to far." Kyoya answered as he tossed back a pad, "Here research potential places the puppy could be hiding."

"Wouldn't it be easier almighty shadow king to simply track the GPS on her phone?" The twins started.

"Seeing as my phone is missing at the moment, no. I also don't happen to have my computer on me, so no." Kyoya answered coolly as the twin's slunked back into their seats. Tamaki had managed to pull himself off the floor as he shook himself.

"I'll crawl back here." Tamaki began as he managed to fling himself over into the Twins lap who shoved him off.

"Milord please." The twins scoffed as Tamaki shook himself and scrambled back one more pair of seats.

"Hi Haruhi!" He smiled as she stretched her legs out on the chair.

"Sorry Tamaki seats are taken." She shrugged as she rested her head against the back of the seat.

"But-but-but-but" Tamaki began as the twins tugged him back shoving him back up to floor by Mori and Honey.

"But-but-but-" He began again as he scrambled to turn around and stare at Haruhi who was busy ignoring everybody. Kyoya sighed as the driver turned on the radio blasting some kind of American band.

Tamaki be moaned his situation, stuck in a commoner's car, which should have been the most exciting thing ever, but ignored by Haruhi who knew more about it than he did.

"Tama-chan you should put on your seat belt." Honey told him as he was proudly clipped into his, "We never have to wear seat belts!"

"Um-'Tamaki began as he pulled it. It wouldn't come though as he tugged harder and harder until finally it slipped from his hands slamming him back into the back of the seat. He cursed silently as he sat up quickly deciding he was better off without one.

"Oh Times Square." The twins muttered as they flipped through the book, "SOHO! Hmmm the Ritz-Tamaki please tell us we are not staying in a commoner's hotel."

"Oh no." Kyoya's voice drifted back, 'I've already picked out a location for the host club."

"The Ritz?" The twin's voices called out and over.

"Yes." Kyoya's tired voice drifted over.

"Are were there yet?' The twins called as they leaned their heads back, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

The van gave a bump as Haruhi cursed, "Ugh, never going to get any rest now."

She turned back over onto her side as the music drifted over the speakers and somehow she found herself falling asleep even as the Twins laughed louder and talked about visiting their good friend.

Tamaki glanced stole the map away from them as he folded it up, "Shhh! Haruhi's sleeping."

"So-" The twins shrugged as they crossed their arms, "Give us back our map."

"No." Tamaki answered, "Your to loud."

"But Milord don't you want visit or see where all the commoner's are?" The twins asked leering over the seat. Tamaki stared at the map as he yanked it open.

"Yes!" He decided as he threw it back at them. The twins pointed out Central Park, Times Square-

"Oh a Musical!" Tamaki smiled in glee as the twins rolled their eyes and continued on.

"What about the New York City Ballet-" Honey asked as he flipped around, "Mother once took me there to see the "Nutcracker."

"Oh right ballet." Hikaru nodded as he raised his head, "Almost forgot why we came New York."

"We almost forgot that we still have the find the puppy." Karou agreed, "We'll get around to it. "

"It's not like the mysterious Jizo has left us any more clues" HIkaru answered as he leaned back in the seat looking out the window.

"Indeed it was rather rude of him to simply send us out here to New York with nothing but a simple note. The puppy isn't going to show up out of no where." Karou nodded.

"We'll find her." Mori said suddenly breaking their train of thought. The twins blinked staring at the giant, but no one else seemed to hear his comment. They glanced at each other, and settled back into their seats. Mori never spoke, ever.

"Oh look a sign!' Honey shouted as he pointed finger out in front of them. The twins felt the map drop from their hands, because on a giant banner above a tunnel there was a sign. Meaningless to most others, but it said in bright blue Japanese characters, "WELCOME HOST CLUB!"

"Wow." Tamaki stared at in aw, "the City of New York does love us!"

"No Milord." The twins began as they slapped a hand to their face, "Didn't you see the J character at the end! It's from this mysterious Jizo."

"Oh, well what do you think it's a second sign?" Tamaki asked glancing at them.

"A clue?" Honey offered, "But what can it mean?"

"Whoever Jizo is knows that we've come to New York City. " The twins answered, "Therefore he has access to where we might be?"

"Who said it was a guy?" Haruhi turned over as she stretched her arms, "Jizo could also be a girl."

"Yes, but highly unlikely." The twins sniffed as Haruhi glared. She rubbed her eye as she yawned once more, "What do you mean unlikely? Girls aren't as stupid as you make them out to be."

"Oh sure-" The twins began as they raised a finger to make a point.

"I'll tell Mikan-" Haruhi began, "You both would have been road kill by now."

"Yes but since puppy isn't here, we don't have to worry about many whacks." The twins began as they suddenly shouted 'Ow! Who through a shoe at us?"

Mori turned around as he offered an out stretched hand as the twins quickly handed it back to him. He turned around silently sliding back on the black shoe, and turning back around as he stared out. Honey stared at his friend, but didn't ask.

"Ouch.' The twins muttered again, "That hurt."

Haruhi smiled silently thanking Mori as she cracked her neck once and then twice. The van rolled on as they entered the steady stream of honking traffic as they swerved to the right and then to the left and then back to the right as the car peeled along.

"Are we there yet?" The twins asked together, "We're bored. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

"No." Kyoya sighed again as the van bumped along. Honey had his face pressed against the window, "You can see through the glass Takashi! There's no tint!"

"Ehm." Mori answered as the twins groaned loudly.

"Milord make this car go faster." They ordered.

"I can't! I have no control over such a thing." Tamaki answered, "Oh look taxi's!"

"Ohhhh. AHhh!" The twins sighed, "We've ridden in them before."

"But these are New York Taxi's." Tamaki answered, "They are something to behold." The twins only glanced at each other and tried to stifle a laugh as they stared up at the car ceiling, "Are we there yet?"

'No." Kyoya answered once more, "And if you phrase that question again I will see that you stay in a one bedroom apartment."

"Hmmmm-"The twins glanced at each other. They would need something to cure their bordem until the car ride, no matter how short or long was over.

"Milord, what will you do to Jin for violating our lovely mutt?" The twins glanced at Tamaki, "Shall we have him quarter as a commoner or his head chopped off?"

Tamaki blinked and laughed, "We can't legally dispose of Jin, beside's Mikan is simply head over heels for a boy. It's young innocent love-"

"He's taken advantage of her." The twins answered as they turned back to staring up the van's grey soft ceiling, "Poor puppy, how long do you think she'll survive in the city?"

"Mikan lived in the city." Haruhi told them matter of factly, "She grew up here, well at least for a year or two or three. If any one can 'survive' its her. Stop putting bad thoughts into Tamaki's head, your making him more paranoid than he already is."

"Hmmm-how many children will she have? Do you think she'll have many people to the wedding?' The twins continued to muse, bored out of their tiny minds. They wanted the van to hurry and arrive. It couldn't be that difficult to arrive at the predestined spot.

"This van has no room." Kyoya muttered from the fornt seat as Honey laughed.

"Mori! Your knees touch the middle of the back seat." Honey laughed as he leapt or rather climbed into his friends lap making himself comfortable as he hugged the bunny under his arm.

"Ehm." Mori answered as he folded his legs criss cross upon the seat and moved Honey back beside him. He cracked his neck to the left and the right, as the van bounced again.

"Whee!" Honey shouted, "Do it again!"

"No." Haruhi's distressed voice came from the very back, "I think I'm going to be car sick."

"If you happen to throw up I,"ll be adding the cleaning bill to you debt." Kyoya called from the front seat. Haruhi muttered something under her breath as she turned on her side laying her head in her arms as she yawned. All she wanted was some decent sleep in something that wasn't moving.

The plane ride hadn't been much of a treat either. When the twins weren't making snide comments about the commercial airline they were poking her or teasing Tamaki. Honey had been restless moving everywhere up and down the first class aisle and Tamaki had been checking on her every few minutes.

The shadow king was even grouchier then usual which she wasn't was very possible considering it was Kyoya.

"Oh look!" Tamaki was saying.

"Takashi! Why are there men selling food on the street?" Honey pointed out the window, "What's a pretzel?"

Mori simply shrugged as Honey rested back against him yawning. The van gave another jump as Kyoya cursed and there was a sickening crunch and another loud foffm.

"Don't worry we'll make it!" The driver shouted out, "We're a block away from the damned place! We'll make it!"

Kyoya cursed again under his breath in three different languages as the van peeled around to the side sending every one into the wall as the thing came to a smoking stop in front of the hotel. There was another loud boom as the four wheels fell out from underneath of it. The driver laughed and patted the wheel, "This means I get a new car."

Kyoya gave a small twitch as he smoothed his hair and shoved open the van door.

"We are here." He announced as he clambered out, 'I will wait for you all in the room. The front desk will direct you."

Tamaki glanced after Kyoya who moved rather quickly and unclicked his seat belt.

"Come on everybody!" He smiled as he threw open the van door, the suddenly went spinning into the street, 'AHHH!"

"Milord never open a door on the side of traffic." The twins clicked their tongues as the scooted out to the left and onto the sidewalk. Haruhi heaved herself slowly over the seats and out beside them as a very pale Tamaki stood beside them.

"This is a dangerous city." He muttered as the twins only shook their heads. Mori emerged as he was almost bent all the way over as Honey sat on his shoulder. Haruhi glanced at the tall, tall hotel in awe. It was nice.

"Come on Haruhi" The twins, insisted, "You can gawk like a commoner later."

"Hey-" She started as they dragged her foreword by the arms once more. She gave up try to resist them. The lobby was massive as she stared around for a minute or two taking in everything and nothing all at once. It was very nice, she decided, if just a tad over done like the school.

The rich, she decided, like everything to be very shiny. She stood beside them as they walked to the front desk where a dishelved Kyoya stood blank faced. He was making quick hand gestures as his hair became more tussled. The poor flustered woman manning the desk, seemed to look away, and the angrier he became. IT wasn't obvious the way he would simply take deep breaths.

Haruhi had a sense the calmer Kyoya was, the angrier he was becoming. He was never one to yell or scream, but seeing him this calm was unnerving. He turned eyeing Tamaki who seemed to be oblivious.

"Tamaki. They're saying that you changed our room reservations." Kyoya said very calmly as Tamaki blinked and stared.

"No." He shook his head, "I'm not sure how to even book at a hotel."

"Of course." Kyoya nodded, as he turned back to the woman smiling a small very evil smile, "Could you please again explain to me how this mix up could have occurred?"

"Well sir." She began, "I, well the desk received a call several hours before saying that you would no longer need the reservation. "

"Of course." Kyoya nodded, "Thank you. And you're sure there are no open rooms available?"

"I'm sorry sir, not that would suite you." She answered, "Or your company. Our finest rooms have been take over by the London Ballet I'm afraid."

"Of course." Kyoya nodded again as he turned away almost dragging his feet, his back erect and stiff, but his fist was clenched. Haruhi was sure that the glint on his glasses would have fried someone to death in a matter of minutes.

"Aww Takashi! Does this mean we have to go home?" Honey looked down on his giant friend. Mori only shrugged as they started forward with the rest of the group.

"Odd that the London ballet would be staying when the puppy is missing." Karou glanced Hikaru."

"Cocidence." Hikaru answered, "Nothing more to it."

Haruhi mulled over to herself as she felt someone tug on her arm. A boy about her age, but dressed in the uniform of the hotel, was holding a slip of paper.

"Uh?" She started, "Can I help you?"

He shrugged and offered the piece of paper.

"Oh you don't speak Japanese. Sorry my English is bad to." Haruhi answered as she picked up the piece of paper from him, "Thank you."

He smiled and turned away back to the crowd of people that needed bags carried. Haruhi ran to keep up with the rest of the host club as Tamaki was spinning in a circle.

"What are we going to do?" He started, "We cannot return home! We cannot return home without the puppy!"

"Calm down." Kyoya sighed," There is always a will and a way. My father's company owns several buildings in this city, equipped to hold for our annual meetings. There will be a residence as well suited for all of us."

"Oh."Tamaki started, "Good news club! We will not be returning to America."

"Or staying in a commoner's hotel.' The twins laughed. Haruhi glanced at them as she unfolded the note.

"Hey can any of you guys read this?' She asked as she held up the note. It was scrawled in blue ink of a piece of white paper, but none of it was Japanese characters.

"We speak and read French. 'The twins began as they snatched it away, "But this isn't French."

"I understand Spanish." Honey cried, "Guten Tag!"

"That's German." The twins corrected, "What about you Tamaki?"

Tamaki took the note as he studied for a moment, "AHAH! The connection is simple, the note must be written in some ancient language unknown only to a small sect of people who speak it. It's a note of the most secret nature guarded over for years and has found the face into our hands."

"Or it's another clue." Kyoya answered as he snatched the note away, "It doesn't seem to be actual words, and there must be another way to decipher it. Haruhi hang on to it, perhaps your limit knowledge will prove useful."

Haruhi glared but took the note back silently.

"Please tell us we'll be having a limo." The twins pleaded with Kyoya who stared at them and simply nodded to Honey. The boy smiled as he ran to the curb and raised his fingers to his lips letting out a shrill and long whistle.

Three cabs pulled over so fast they almost ran into each other.

"Wow." The twins glanced at each other, "We didn't realize he could hold that much air." As they laughed again.

"Haruhi get the bags." They ordered waving a hand as they clambered into the back of the first taxi. Haruhi stuffed the note in her pocket as she glared at them, but opened the back of the van.

"I'll help you."

She glanced at the driver, a much older man with graying hair. She hadn't been paying much mind to him when they had climbed into the van.

"Thank you." She answered,"Where did you learn to speak Japanese?"

"I worked for PR Company in Tokyo when I was younger." He answered," I had to pick up the language to survive."

"Oh its very good.' She nodded as they slowly unloaded the massive bags that the other host club members had brought. She was shocked at the size of the bags, as she dragged them up and around the curb. Stuffing them slowly in the back of each of the three taxi's as she clambered into the last one.

"Sorry Haru-chan! We would have helped, but the twins said I would be crushed by the bag." Honey told her as he scooted over on the seat. Mori occupied the front of the small cab that pulled off into the traffic.

"It's fine." Haruhi answered as she leaned back into the seat. For her first trip out of the country she was very tired. She shut her eyes for a moment listening to Honey's giggles and eww and awws. She felt a tug on her shoulder, as she realized they were at the apartment or what ever the heck the name of the place was where they would be staying.

She could hardly remember the walk up the flight of stairs or the ride in the elevator as she managed to be located right to where her room was.

"What no gasps from the commoner?" The twins glanced at her as she quickly threw off her sweater.

"Out!" She ordered as she shut them out of the room. She glanced at the huge bed, as she jumped into the middle. Sleep. She was going to get sleep. She curled underneath the covers as she heard the doorknob rattle.

"Haruhi?"

"Sleeping. Come back later " She answered as she pulled the note from her pocket. Mikan and her ridddles were going to have to wait until after her nap, as the blue writing taunted her.

One thing annoyed her though, why would Mikan go through all the trouble? Unless she had been wrong about Jin, but she didn't think she was. What the point of all of it? She shut her eyes, she would think about it after she woke up.

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could it be better? yes, but this is a difficult arch to work with. Sorry for the delay. Loves to my readers ,my favers, and my reviewers! keep sending the love!


	33. The Supa Short Frolic and Detour

**THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT AND CRACKED! MEGA CRACK! DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SERIOUS PLOT! HAS NOTHING TO REALLY DO WITH MAIN PLOT POINT, JUST FUNNY SUGAR INDUCED FROLIC AND DETOUR! WILL NOT BE USED IN ACTUAL PLOT LINE! PLEASE ENJOY! **

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Chapter 32 √5 Suga Pxie Crack

Tamaki stared at the long tube, "Hunny what is this again?"

"A pixie stick." Hunny smiled holding up the brightly colored tube in his hand, "They sell them for pennies over here! I got ten!"

"A pixie stick-" Tamaki stared at the long tube again, "It's just powder though."

"Well I guess you could pour it on cake or put it in some coffee." Hunny answered as he shifted at his seat at the large kitchen counter. It was a rare moment in the host club, the members had scattered. Kyoya seemed to be hauled away in his room with the threat of murdering anyone who attempted to even come within five feet within it. He had set the security buzzer, as the twins soon found delivered a particularly nasty shock.

The little devils had sulked out the apartment, muttering how bored they were and seeing if the commoner's could provide any relief. Hunny of course had wandered a ways with Mori, who was busy flipping through a dance magazine with a highlighter. Tamaki didn't comment, Mori seemed pretty silent over the whole affair with Mikan. It was like some spark of intelligence deep within the dead heap of cells that formed the central part of his brain was able to read correctly what was happening.

Tamaki brushed back his hair. He had switched out his I Heart NY t-shirt, he couldn't be mistaken as one of the other millions on the street. He adjusted the pink boa around his neck, the twins in insisted that scarves were in and the over sized purple sunglasses on his face as he propped his head on a hand. He felt very strange in the stage props, but the twins insisted again that Mikan had a theatre gene that let her hone in on her own type.

"Tama-chan?" Hunny asked, "Aren't you going to eat your pixie stick?'

"I think I'll add it to some coffee." Tamaki answered as he smiled turning away, "It will be easier. I'm sure this is their answer to sugar, commoners have hardly enough time and money to buy real coffee."

"But tama-chan." Hunny began as he shrugged and tipped back his own pixie stick.

Tamaki set out the tea set, as he poured a cup of the ever delicious commonor's coffee, but even as he stared at the cup, "OH MIKAN!"

He slammed a fist into the counter, "WHHY! PUPPY! WHY! I'M SUCH A BAD MASTER! SUCH A BAD, BAD, BAD MASTER!"

He ripped off the top of the long pixie stick as he dumped the entire thing into the cup as the sugar sunk into the bottom of the cup.

"WHHHHHHY!" He cried again tossing it to the floor, as he reached for another one as ripped it open and dumped it in again.

"Ummm tama-chan." Hunny began as he raised a finger, "Can I have some cake please?"

"WAHHHH!" Tamaki answered as he reached into the refrigerator and pushed the entire chocolate cake toward Hunny who stared and grabbed it off the counter trotting over to Mori as he dug a hand into it. The giant glanced, picking it off the floor and setting it on the table.

"No." He said simply, as Hunny stared at him, running back to the counter, as he grabbed a fork.

Mori glanced again, and nodded his head, as Hunny continued to dig back in.

"Emmm.' He smiled as Tamaki's wail's continued.

"WAHHHHH! MIKKKKKAAAAANNNNN!" Tamaki howled now throwing his head back as he tossed his third stick to the ground. He ignored the stack of sugar that now piled out of the cup of coffee as he slurped it down. He couged, choking on the super sweet drink, but he shook his head.

"WHHHHY! WHHYYY!" He continue as he finished it off, tossing the cup to the floor as it smashed into a million pieces. He paused, "WAHHH! PUPPY WOULD HAVE LOVED TO CLEAN THAT UP!"

"Takashi?" Hunny asked his friend as Mori glanced over from his magazine, 'Did the boa stop Tama-chan's thinking?"

Mori flicked his eyes to the host king who had ripped open another pixie stick laughing madly as he drowned down the rest of the instant coffee. He turned back to Hunny and then once more to Tamaki as he pulled out a second cake and simply slammed his face in to the frosting.

"Eh.' He answered with a small shrug as Hunny went back to happily munching his own cake.

Tamaki laughed madly, "I WILL FIND YOU PUPPY! THIS I SWEAR!"

Mori glanced up again as Tamaki ran out the apartment door. He heard a small thud and more maddening screams as he leaned back into the couch.

"Will Tama-chan be okay?" Hunny asked as Mori glanced down. He gave a smile and nodded as he turned back to the magazine.

* * *

Yep. Like I said, total crack. Good break. Lol, more Tamaki antics will be served up, any thing negative will be served up as karma. Anyone whose ever had a pixie stick, knows they are sugar crack.


	34. Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Hi.

I'm alive.

Gasp.

And if your ignore the previous chapter of puppy this is the actual chapter. No crack, no nonsense, and plot.

Good juicy plot.

* * *

Kyoya had been turning things over in his mind slowly as he sat on his bed with the large windows thrown open so the noise of the city drifted far above. The New York skyline stretched out before him, but he wasn't interested in sight seeing, he wanted a few answers and another hint.

He had of course assumed that Jin was behind spiriting Mikan away, and the wild rumor they were to be wed seemed good enough cover to explain the sudden charges to the club accountant, supported of course by any sudden rise in host club attendance. It did add a large amount to Haruhi's already immense load, but he didn't see a good point in telling her so.

Not yet.

He pushed up his glasses.

The whole thing with the spirit name, Jizo, protector of humankind or something, he hadn't really paid much mind to the research.

What it implied was a third party acting a benefactor to their missing puppy, who didn't want to be found.

He had crossed off the usual list of suspects, though Kagame remained to the side, she could clear herself and pull of the whole operation if she wanted to. It was odd to think that she would, being all the way in Japan. She loved her sister, but he doubted she would aid in her sudden disappearance.

He had of course tracked the last logged locations of the GPS on her phone, but there was no pattern than his computer could understand, to put it simply she was all over the place, china town, the airport, a swanky hotel in the upper east side, and then to three restraunts and a laundry mat.

Either the puppy was on the move, or something had gone wrong with GPS. He decided it was the second going off the assumption that Mikan was oblivious to her elevated state of a missing person. He felt his phone ring, once, twice, on the bed as he picked it up.

**Goddess.**

He sighed, Kagame had programed her number into his phone, and he couldn't delete it for some strange, annoying reason. He waited a few more seconds and then flipped it open.

"Kyoya have you seen the news? Well the American news at least, Mikan has been elevated to the status of a missing socialite, well-just flip to the nearest channel."

Kyoya glanced around. He had never stayed in the room where the head excutive would have slept on a business trip. There was a rather large tv hidden behind two cupboard doors, but he had never bothered to turn it on. He doubted if there was a remote in the room.

He pulled open the side dresser drawer, as he fiddled with a few of the button. The TV clicked on in an instant, as the latest headline ran across the bottom, "daughter of famous Japanese author missing; any information about her-"

He clicked to a second channel," The dissaperence of Mikan Tanaka has police asking for any information to come forward-"

"What is this?' Kyoya asked the phone as Kagame sighed on the other line.

"I don't know. I-well I knew she left the country after I got your text, but I figured she had run of with Jin. Whoever alerted the media had um-I don't know some kind of bizziare motive. Mikan's been out of the dance scene to long to cause a fuss and mom's book only just released in the states. I mean it was a hit on the East Coast, but we're not internationally famous-"

"The media, your american media, will do anything for an international story, especially with a school girl with as much intrigue as Puppy." Kyoya answered, "Have it resolved would you, I don't want our club becoming involved in any way."

"What? Call them up and say just kidding we found her." Kagame's annoyed voice drifted over the line. Kyoya realized there was a costant babble in the back round, the clink of glasses.

"Are you at a restraunt? Or rather I should ask are you out drinking?" Kyoya laughed, as he lowered the volume on the TV.

"Neither. Well I'm somewhere, none of your business though." Kagame answered, though her answer was distracted, like she was looking over her shoulder kind of distracted, "Just find her and end the media storm. I'm not sure if Mom wants this kind of um-free publicity."

"Mikan Tanaka was found safe with her best friends after neglecting to alert her older sibling and current care taker of her where abouts-" Kyoya rattled off the news line, "She went on to say she had no idea that half of America was looking for her, hoping to instead escape the recent pressure of her mother's sudden fame. She will be returning to Japan and her studies at the end of the week."

"Damn your good." Kagame's swear drifted over the line as there was a sudden cry, someone was greeting her rather loudly to it seemed, "Gotta go. Bye."

"Don't get to drunk." Kyoya gave final warning as he clicked the phone shut with a snap. He pulled up the latest American New's sites, taking a few notes on what they were saying, when the report had been issued. It would have had to be a small window of time in between when she left Japan and arrived, since they would be day behind.

It would of course now make it twice as hard to find her, if she was trying to hide from the world who was convinced she was in danger.

This was becoming a very tangled web, he noticed as he glanced at his notes, the page seemed to be black with the amount of ink.

_Jizo-unkown benefactor and tip off. _

_Media-unrelated. _

_Mikan and Jin-most likely on vacation or eloping-depended if he was going to let Tamaki's wild idea of them getting married actually come true, he'd never put it past Mikan of course. _

Then the who and the why?

Kyoya was beginning to feel he was playing chess, with a shadow, who was matching his moves, as someone slipped him moves from the side, making it a race, with to much as stake. The whole thing, with the added media coverage could easily balloon into an ugly mess, and defame everyone involved. He shuddered as he snapped the notebook with a click thump as he rose of the bed and shoved up the glasses.

If he was the shadow king, and he was, Mikan would be found long before this shadow player could make their next move. He closed down the laptop, as he exited the room to see if anyone had made progress with the note they had gotten just before leaving.

It wasn't in French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese-He paused as he stared at the rather odd scene that was playing out in the gathering area.

The twins and Tamaki, with Honey perched between them seem to be marveling at Haruhi and the slip of paper and a mirror.

"Do it again!" Honey cried throwing his hands in the air as Haruhi sighed frustrated.

"It's an old trick.' She answered, "You can only read what's written when you hold it up to a mirror because it's written backwards."

She demonstrated again, "It says follow the yellow brick road, to where the swan will give you the golden egg."

"Well that's simple." Kyoya's voice rang out, as they turned, jumping at his sudden presence.

"Shadow king." The twins hissed to each other hugging each other close and leaning away from him. He descended the rest of the stairs as he made his way to the common area. It was large enough to comfortably sit another four people if needed, but they seemed to be concentrated around the coffee table and black leather couch. Mori sat a lil ways apart in a chair, seemed to be torn between sleeping and preparing himself for Honey came bounding back to his lap.

"Taxi's. Follow to where the Taxi's are going-swan-is probably a play-and I'm not quite sure about the golden egg, but its probably a reference to a stage prop." Kyoya said with a nudge and good glint of his glasses.

"To-" Tamaki stood up as he swung around a pink feather boa around, "The theater."

"Tamaki, do I want to know why you're currently wearing a 'pink' boa?" Kyoya asked as he resisted the urge to slap a hand to his face.

"Simple mother." Tamaki answered with a wave of his hand, "The puppy will be attracted to my 'theater' vibes, it an occurrence with all theater people."

"No." Kyoya answered simply, "Get dressed properly, we are representing our families, so we will leave dressed properly." He stressed the last word as Tamaki tugged on his I Love New York t-shirt.

"But-but-" He began as he simply moved away with head hung as he muttered about un fair mother's, being cruel to fathers. He was the only one who had the need to change in seemed though, as everyone stayed put or rather made themselves at home. The twins had Haruhi slung on the coach between them as Honey had happily returned to Mori's lap.

Kyoya stood in place as Tamaki slumped by a few moments later, dressed he noted happily, a little better than before having ditched his ridiculous getup of the boa and tourist shirt. He moved silently to the doors, pocketing the keys to the door as the group shuffled after him to the elevator.

"We're going to take Taxi's." Kyoya announced as they piled into the elevator catching the twin's grimace at the word, "We don't want to draw attention in a long limo."

"But-we always travel by limo-'They began.

"You could walk." Kyoya answered as they grew silent on the subject entertaining themselves with asking Haruhi all about what she knew about New York City, which was of course was flat nothing, and then teasing her how she had never experience commoner life in a foreign city.

He'd would be able to ignore it better if Tamaki wasn't egging them on in protecting her, and thus the usual cycle of arguing, teasing, and insults seemed to fill the space at an alarming rate. He tried not to rush from the short space, but his mental health was in check. He paused for a moment by the desk as the man noticed him with a nod.

"Shall I have a car brought round?' The man asked, as he waited with his hand on the dial of the phone.

"No. No. Two taxi's." Kyoya answered as he pushed the door key across for safe keeping.

"Very good." The man answered as he spoke quickly into the phone, "Your taxi's will be waiting outside for you sir." As he took the key to hang it on it's own hook, "Sir, a card was left today, by a well I suppose you called her an elderly woman, she said you had requested the name."

Kyoya waited as the man brought the card forward, he glanced at it, and pocketed it , thanking him as he moved forward to catch up with Tamaki who was leading the pack out the main doors. A dangerous thing indeed, Kyoya thought to himself.

"We call this one!" The twins yelled, as Tamaki clambered into the passenger seat next to the driver. Kyoya sighed as he watched it roll away, as he climbed into the one with Mori and Hunny.

His phone rang a moment later, "Ask for the Broadway district."

"Thanks." Tamaki's voice drifted over the phone as Kyoya shut it with another tight snap.

"Look! It's Mikan!" Honey pointed out the window to a screen that was running the latest new feeds, "Why does it say she's missing?"

"Wrong Mikan." Kyoya lied quickly as Honey nodded as kept staring out the window ohhing and awing at every passing sight. Mori was quiet as usual, with eyes locked forward and knees pressing against the back of the seats. Kyoya felt sorry for the giant having to ride in the cramped Taxi, but he didn't seem to complain, though there was no telling what Mori was thinking.

Ever.

The ride lasted a few more moments that Kyoya would have liked as fished out a few bills from his coat pocket, the driver giving him a nod as he stepped out into the busy streets and nearly missing getting run over by the cars that zipped by. He edged himself onto the sidewalk where the rest were already waiting busy gawking at the billboards and flashing lights.

"Is it me or is it cold?' Haruhi commented as she began to shiver with the brief gust of air from some air conditioned building. People were crazy if they needed rooms that cold. The city was over whelming, interesting and smell of food. She didn't realize how hungry she was until her stomach let out a low growl.

"Haruhi! Try this you should like it." Hikaru shoved a giant preztal in her face, "Their famous in New York City."

"A giant pretzel.' She repeated, but she took it and almost devoured it in a few seconds. She gazed at her empty hands, but her stomach was stastifed.

"We didn't realize you had such an appetite.' The twins commented to each other with a barking laugh as they grabbed an arm each, "Come on Haruhi, you'll get lost if you don't stick close to us."

"Pft." She muttered to herself, "I'll get lost with you, which is twice as bad."

The twins didn't catch the comment as they started forward down the side walk, changing so they instead each as a hand as they watched the unmistakable form of Mori with Hunny on his shoulders drifting through the crowds at an alarming speed as Kyoya led a gasping Tamaki.

It was probably the worst place for any of them to be, Times Square was the brightest place in New York City, with more things to gawk at on the side walk than a museum. Haruhi didn't suspect combined with Tamaki's antics and Honey's ohh's and ahh''s it would be dark before they were able to move a block up the street.

She was just annoyed at being beat back by the people, Americans were very different. Everyone kept their heads down and ran back and forth like they were trying to catch a train. She couldn't understand what they were saying either, her English wasn't the best at the moment.

The twins seemed to enjoy themselves to the point it was scary the way they smiled, she realized people were staring at them. They were in their natural element, bathing in the attention of every person in a five mile radius and loving it, but it was some how worse, they didn't have to put in any effort at this point.

She was about to tear herself from their ever tightening grip on her wrists when Kyoya stopped short and turned around. They followed once more switching directions as they now had to job to keep up. It happened three more times as the twins suddenly paused an instead watched as he ran back and forth.

Mori caught on as he drifted to their place with Honey happily resting his head on top of his. Kyoya did this several more times with only Tamaki pacing with him, until he stopped and Tamaki ran past and back before Kyoya shot out an arm stopping him flat.

""Kyoya I don't think this is right." Tamaki started as he caught his breath. Haruhi rolled her eyes, took someone long enough, she crossed her arms stealing them back the twins who slumped forward, bored once more.

He turned slowly as Tamaki shrunk away hiding instead by the twins as Kyoya seemed to be frozen in thought. He tapped his foot, glanced up and behind him and then back at the sidewalk.

Haruhi realized, the Shadow King, was stumped. She cleared her throat, since no one else seemed to be willing to say anything, "Yellow brick road, swan, golden egg."

She paused as Kyoya stared at her and she shrugged finishing weakly, "It could it mean a park-like the sun shining on the a brick path and a swan being a lake and an egg maybe a statue."

"That-"Kyoya began as he raised a finger and held her gaze before turning away and starting foreword, 'I'll hail us a cab."

"It's about sunset know-" Tamaki started as he stared up at the sky not having to look to far, "where are we going to find sunshine and a swan. '

'And indoor garden, the botanical gardens." Haruhi answered as she remembered the maps the twins had shoved at her when she had woken up from her rather blissful nap, "But they would be closed by now."

"Ah. We could sneak in. Mori is tall enough, we could hoist you over the wall-' The twins began grinning at each other, suddenly intrigued at the idea as Mori took a step away, as if to say he wasn't going to haul anyone over any walls.

Kyoya moved out the way of the crowds that had been streaming around him like he didn't exist as he slipped a hand into his pocket, "The Golden Path, it's a restaurant."

"A restaurant?' The twins seemed outraged, "How are we supposed to break into a restaurant?"

"We don't.' Kyoya answered as they turned away, "The Golden Path. We can walk from here."

"Walk." The twins seemed defeated at the idea, "Evil. Evil Shadow King."

Haruhi laughed, "Come on, you'll live like commoners. Walking is what we do best."

"Yes! Go Haruhi!" Tamaki shouted behind her as he was faster this time walking beside her, "Show us the proper walking technique of the commoners."

"Psh." The twins bumped Tamaki out of the way as he stumbled instead into a wall with a dismissive wave of their hands,"We are the only ones worthy to walk with the all knowing commoner."

"Who said anything about walking?" Kyoya challenged them as he hurried by almost in a job, but not quite. Haruhi grumbled she was good at walking but not fast as the twins hurried forward with her again. She was heaving for breath as they dodged people, Mori easily passing them without breaking a sweat with his long stride and Tamaki crying out behind them.

The twins only laughed as they dodged traffic as Haruhi felt her heart jump at the squeal of tires and the hasty apologies of Tamaki. She didn't have time to steal a glance behind her as the twins shifted right, then left, then right again in a dizzy maze. She stopped trying to see the sights, everything blurred together in a seam of concrete and posters.

She was ready to hit the payment, and probably would have had it not been for the twins who stopped. She took great gulps of air, as Kyoya stood at the door, as the sign loudly proclaimed, "The Golden Path."

"Yellow brick road." Kyoya pointed, "Any ideas about a swan Haruhi?"

"No." She answered jumping that he had spoken. Directly. To her. The twins didn't seem to notice the shift in his character as they rubbed their chins, "Swan. Swan. Does the restaurant serve swan? Maybe duck-"

"We'll go see a menu." Kyoya answered as he pushed open the door, followed by Mori and Hunny.

"Way-to wait."

Haruhi turned to see a panting Tamaki who was bent over on his knees taking breaths of air.

"So sorry Milord.' The twins shook their heads, "Come commoner, show us the technique of ordering from a commoner restaurant."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, the commoner joke had gotten old, very fast and now it simply rubbed her the wrong way. She stole her arms back, grabbing Tamaki's hand, as she led him behind the twins inside. He seemed to stumble, and then straighten when he noticed she was holding his hand. She let go, before he could comment go, as he seemed to suddenly be more interested in the commoner restaurant.

It wasn't like any restaurant she had ever been in, everything was covered in red or gold. There was a pair of lions that sat on the either side, the reached about her hip with their mouths wide open. A steady stream of people crowded what she sure was the bar and plenty of others already seated with the steady clamor of forks and plates.

A young woman stood behind a podium marking off things with a marker as she glanced up.

"SWAN!" Honey yelled loud enough so a few patrons stopped and stared. Haruhi stared at him as he was pointing to her tag on her chest.

"Swan." She repeated with a nod her head.

"Oh.' The twins nodded, "She's the swan in the clue, where's your golden egg?"

She stared at them as Haruhi glared at them, "She doesn't speak Japanese."

"Could we see a menu?' Kyoya asked as he pointed behind her as she nodded happily handing him one.

He flipped through it, quickly, "Nothing with the golden egg in the title."

"Maybe because it's a dinner menu." Haruhi answered with a shrug, "I think most American restaurants serve breakfast."

Kyoya stared at her dumbfounded as he quickly exchanged the menu for a breakfast one. She tried to ignore the gazes he kept giving her, they were, out of character, as if the search for Mikan had made him off balanced. Or maybe she was just imagining the whole thing, as the familiar sheen of his glasses returned.

She shuddered as Tamaki grinned, 'The Golden Egg Special, it's an omelet."

"Can we get this?' Kyoya asked pointing to it as he pulled out a credit card. The girl smiled taking the menu as she led him down and around. He mentioned for the rest of them to follow, the girl led them instead past the other patrons to a pair of doors. She pushed them open with a click of a handle, as they walked by.

"Your meal will be ready in a few moments." She answered with a polite nod of her head.

"She speaks Japanese?" Haruhi stared after her, as the rest of the host club shrugged.

"Obviously they know of our-esteemed presence." Tamaki answered as he ran around to take a comfortable seat in a plush red chair, "My colors, gold and red."

"I don't think so." Haruhi began as she seated herself carefully and rested her arms on the long wood table dyed black, "I think this is all part of the next clue."

"To early to tell." Kyoya answered as he sat a few down from her, the twins sitting on either side of her, giving her space between her and the Shadow King for which she was very happy. She tried to avoid his gaze instead looking at the ornate ceiling with the hanging lamps, the high ceiling, the little lions.

The place was big on lions, they were everywhere.

"You know the yellow brick road, sounds like that movie-" Tamaki began, "I saw it once as a child, but there was a cowardly lion, a scarecrow and a metal man-"

"Your thinking of the Wizard of Oz, Milord. "The twins said flatly, "And we saw it last year, were you screamed about flying monkeys for a few hours afterwards."

"Oh." Tamaki stared instead at the gold plate, "Well I just wonder who Mikan is supposed to be-Dorothy or Toto?"

"Toto." Kyoya interjected, "I'm in the tin man."

"Milord you're the cowardly lion!" The twins called out laughing.

"Oh yeah! Then you're the scarecrow!" Tamaki answered pointing his fork at them, but they were to busy smirking at each other and making notes at just how much the cowardly lion and Tamaki were alike to pay much mind.

"Jin is the-wicked witch of the west." Haruhi cut in, "and who would Jizo be?"

"The wizard. The man pulling the strings." Kyoya raised a finger as Honey clapped his hands together so they echoed around the room.

"I have a flying monkey. Fly Takashi! Fly!" Honey ordered as he leapt into his friend's arms. Mori patiently instead shifted him to his shoulders as Honey grabbed his hands forcing his arms go up and down, up and down.

Haruhi laughed as she tried to hide her laughter, as she shook her head. The twins were beside themselves as they pounded the table, before they managed to calm themselves in time for when the door opened.

"Your meal.' The waitress gestured as seven different waiters carried in seven different covered dishes, sliding them to each of the members, before hurrying back out without another word. The waitress nodded, as she re shut the door.

There was a short silence, as each of them stared at the gold covered dishes.

"We only get air-' The twins complained glancing at their empty water glasses, "We don't remember ordering."

Kyoya was the first to life up his plate, "It's a piece of paper."

"What!" The twins yelled as they threw off their own dishes covers,"Our's to."

"I think everyone got a piece of paper." Haruhi commented as she picked hers up. It was scribbled in little symbols as she turned it over, "What are we supposed to wish these?"

Kyoya fingered his slip for a minute as he rapped his fingers against the table, "It's the next clue."

"How is this a clue?' The twins demanded waving the small piece of thin paper. Only one side was colored, the other was white, but each of them had gotten a different color. Haruhi noted her's was the only one with the little black symbols though.

She sighed, "Well I'm out of ideas. Can we please go get some actual food? I'm starving."

"Ahhh! Come daughter! We shall find you a meal!" Tamaki shoved past his chair was the table as Haruhi carefully put her slip away in her pocket, before she let him lead her out the door. The twins were fighting to keep up this time, as they rushed back through the front of the restaurant.

Haruhi didn't see the need for any sort of hurry, the sun was already setting in the sky, meaning any more clue hunting would have to wait until she had eaten and had a full nights rest. Kyoya was out last of the restaurant as he carefully pocket his purple slip of paper, assuming of course they had all done the same.

'Where do we go?" Tamaki asked as he glanced around the wide city.

"We know a place.' The twins volunteered, "Come along, we're off to see the wizard." As they broke out into a skip with Haruhi slung between them. She felt herself bounce between their grips as the annoying tune ran in a loop in her head.

There was no stopping it no, they had decided to follow the yellow brick road, wherever it would lead them. She hoped it ended with Mikan and her own bed.

"We're off to see the wizard!" The twins hit a new high note as she cringed.

"The wonderful wizard of oz." She finished for them. She really hoped that the yellow brick wasn't to long. She wasn't sure if she could take all this abuse much longer.

"What are we going to now Takashi?" Honey's voice drifted behind them. She caught Kyoya telling Tamaki they couldn't dwell on it tonight, that Jin wouldn't marry Mikan and have children in the day they had been here, and they would pick up the search first thing in the morning.

"There's no use in destroying-" He started as she heard the familiar rustle of the thin paper, "What little evidence we have."

* * *

okay an actual chapter. Holy crap! Yep, been awhile an my comp committed suicide so thank god for mac labs at school.

I'm being very productive recently.

So enjoy this legit chapter of puppy.

Please please leave REVIEW, they are very very helpful! as far as how the story is going, the arch is on a roll.

Fav

or Alert

and maybe your get a clue or two...or maybe a cookie ...cookie would be good.


	35. Time to Think

Yep still alive. Kyoya centric chapter, the mystery deepens. Yes its off canon, if your looking at it perspectively, but I like to fill in my holes.

This chapter is pretty important and yes we will return to the other host club, but I like doing chapters focused on certain characters to help them flesh out. New arch is started, and there is a reason they are in New York City, which will come to play much, much later in this EPIC story line. So bare with me dear readers and hang on.

Disclaimer: If I owned any of this I would be a lot more famous than I am.

* * *

Chapter 35

Kyoya couldn't sleep and this time it wasn't because Tamaki would not stop calling his phone, in fact the club had been quiet. The twins last he had checked had gotten Haruhi to sit and watch a movie with them in the den, while Tamaki had passed out after eating one of everything at the small Chinese restaurant they had found.

Even the American version of Chinese was salty and bathed in the watered down sauce, it was filling, but not exactly good.

He didn't need good as he leaned over the side of the bed planting his feet firmly on the floor as he waited for the hum of the TV to come from downstairs. The night was bright and yet swallowed by darkness. They said in the city you couldn't see the stars, but he didn't think that was true.

New York had its own set of stars shining from bright in the form of a thousand different lights from a thousand different buildings and a thousand different people.

It was almost something to behold if he didn't have such contempt for the rest of the world. He rubbed his hands through his short black hair brushing it back as he reached for his glasses. He would dress down, but well for walking the streets as he pulled on the jeans.

The t-shirt one of the only ones he owned laid somewhere sprawled in the drawer, it was something his sister had given him. He glanced at the old black shirt with the strange design, something an old fling had given her, something of his design. He traced the dragon on the side as he tugged it on, as he reached for the black coat shrugging it on.

He fiddled with the buttons as he let out a shiver, as he blinked trying to focus in the dark. He reached for his shoes shrugging them on as he fiddled with the laces tightening them with a few nimble fingers before he straighten grabbing only the pad and cell phone with his slip of paper.

He wasn't sure what to make of any of it right now, which was not a good state for him to be in as he headed for the door opening it slowly as he made his way down the stairs. The hum of the TV was the only noise that greeted him as Haruhi lay sleeping on the couch.

He didn't see the twins, but it seemed they had abandoned her to the couch alone to find refugee in their room. He sighed, as he picked up the remote of the floor, flipping off the TV so the cable bill wouldn't be through the roof, placing it neatly back on the little table.

Haruhi stirred stiffly turning the other way as he stood over her for a minute. She could be quite unruly when she wanted to be, sprawled on the couch like a large loafer her arm draped over her eyes, her wrinkled clothes, the messy hair.

He blinked as he reached for a blanket draping it over her as she quickly folded herself into it nuzzling deeper into the couch.

He turned the second asset on their team taken care of as he pocketed the keys to the pent house and shut the door behind him. The elevator greeted him with a hushed ding that said I know we need to go. He felt sneaky leaving the rest of them in the middle of the night, but he was the shadow king.

The news had grown bored of Mikan giving another update along the bottom that said she was still missing. She would

It wouldn't get out of hand, he reminded himself firmly, he was always in control and he would find her. Or she would make herself known, where ever she was with Jin. Or-

He had to stop thinking this hard, he was here to un ravel the next clue from Jizo, that was something he could see, something he could understand. He would call Kagame if Mikan didn't make an appearance or an attempt to notify them where she was by the morning and get the media circus under control.

It would only take two phone calls to the station manager for the story to be pulled and something more interesting to take its place.

He sighed as he stepped from the glittering warmth of the hotel lobby to the rather bitter cold of the outside. He moved with the crowds as he glanced up at the street signs, but it might as well have been written in French.

He walked a little further, but the silence was doing nothing for him. He needed someone, someone logical to talk to. He pulled out his cellhphone as he clicked to dial her number.

The phone rang once, twice, and then a murmured, "Hello?"

"Hey its me." He answered moving faster across the street, "Are you in New York?"

"How'd you know?" Kagame asked as she rustled, probably in bed, "And its midnight, why are you calling me this late?"

"I-uh-need some place to talk without the club." He answered with a quick cough, "Can I come over?"

"I'll text you my address." She answered, wiping her nose, as she shuffled across the floor, "Call me when you get here and I'll buzz you up."

He clicked the phone shut as he hailed a cab that pulled over to the side as he read off the address, as the cab pulled back out into traffic.

"Visiting?" The driver asked as he turned down the radio glancing at the rearview mirror. Kyoya pushed his glasses further up his nose as he gave a sullen, "No."

The driver didn't take the time to make conversation the rest of the ride as he kept his focused on the road and Kyoya kept staring outside as the cars flashed by them. The ride was short, as he dug out a wad of cash, handing the bills quickly to the driver as he shoved open the door of the cab and slammed it shut behind him with a thump. The address, he had to double check, but the apartment building seemed like, well a dump.

It wasn't exactly falling to pieces, but it wasn't what he was used to seeing with the brick front and bars on the lowest windows. He ran up the stoop, dialing her number again as there was a buzz, letting him through the door.

He glanced at the new text message, 3rd floor, last door on the right. He again wasn't expecting, what much out of Kagame? She was a strange woman when she wanted to be, but he thought she would be in a pent house or a bit more suave neighborhood.

He didn't New York City that well to make that call.

He hit the door for the elevator, but the doors refused to ding open. He sighed heading for the stairs as he jumped them two by two, making the third floor with ease. He glanced at the average hall and the average pair of black doors as he rapt on it with his knuckles.

"Kagame." HE called softly as the doorknob jingled and swung open.

The goddess stood in her half dressed glory, with her hair in a tangled mess, her eye liner running, but she was wearing a tang top and luckily for him a pair of boxers. She turned letting him in as he glanced around her rather quaint apartment. It was tastefully decorated, with wood floors, a kitchen, and a living space.

The apartment was dark, but bathed in the lights from the outside. He could see easily where they were going, from the windows that dotted the first two small rooms.

There were probably more rooms to the back, but she didn't seem headed that way as she slumped her way over to the couch instead picking up her phone and a mug of something steaming.

"What's that?" He asked as he caustioly followed behind her, placing himself in the second high backed green chair. The furniture didn't match itself, with the couch bright orange and the chair respectively green and blue, it was like a haze mat on his face.

He bit his tougne to even mention someone come decorate it professionally, because it was neat, and Kagame didn't seem in the mood for him to give any comments.

"Herbal tea." She answered blowing across the steam with her pursed lips, the half smeared lipstick. She apparently had not given much thought to wiping off her make up before she went to bed.

He pulled out his pad as he gave a cough trying to clear the air before he moved onto the important topic, "So Kagame about your sister-why are you in New York?"

"I was heading here before my little sister took off with Jin." She answered giving a yawn as she slurped down the mug, "So I'm enjoying my holiday and catching up with some old friends. What are you doing at my apartment at midnight?"

"You let me up." Kyoya answered leaning back in the seat as he braced the chair arms, "I need some guidance, you know Mikan the best."

Kagame gave a barking laugh as she brushed back her silvery black hair, pushing up her top and folding her legs under on the couch.

"Know her? I wonder sometimes." She coughed as she slurped the tea down with another long gulp, "Oh herbal you are to good for my soul. And before you ask I have no idea about anything, you said you had a tracker on her."

"I do on her cellphone." Kyoya answered as he tapped the pad with a pen, "but the last logged locations, there's no pattern, and no way she could get to each place to fast."

"Ah." Kagame blinked as she shook her head as she leaned back and took a deep breath slowly waking back up, "Well what about-uh-clues."

"Clues." Kyoya murmured, "We received one that led us to a restaurant and we were given seven slips of paper-" he pulled his from his pocket, "No further instructions."

Kagame took it lightly from his fingers, as she placed it on the table, "It's a square, its thin, but I don't know, I don't think its something you buy in a pack, like something someone hand made."

She gave a snort, "This is your clue. Fuck you guys are screwed. I have no idea what to make of it, have you ever thought of just letting Mikan do her thing. She'll come back."

Kyoya glared as he raised an eye brow. He didn't like that idea and he didn't like the attitude she was taking at the moment. "I have a certain set of assets in her, if we let her do her own thing, we might loose her."

"Oh there you go-"Kagame flicked her hand in his direction as she shrugged her shoulders and scrunched her nose, "Talking about assets, is it always about money for you. My sister will come back when she's ready."

"And what I'm supposed to do, tell them that its fine we're going back to Japan Mikan will follow. What if she marries Jin? What if she's lost and waiting for us to come?" He countered as he jabbed a finger at Kagame glared.

"What? You think she'll really just get up and get married?" She snorted as she slammed down the mug, "Chasing her around New York City, isn't going to do much Kyoya."

"At least I'm trying to do something." He gave her a silent, cold stare as Kagame flicked her hair at him.

"What's that supposed to mean? That I'm not being there to support her?" Kagame was getting angry now as she bunched her body like a tigress ready to strike, "What you think it was easy taking her to ballet class, making sure everyone was where they needed to be-I finally get a bit of time to myself and I have to play mother to my little sister.'

Kyoya sighed as he ran two hands through his hair almost ready to rip out his hair, "Someone has to Kagame. She's reckless, stupid, and infuriating at times. She doesn't get it-"

"Get what? Get the politics? Money? How the fuck people look at-" Kagame paused as she gave a sudden bitter laugh, "Why the hell am I even arguing about this with you-your what in high school? Your Kyoya-not-not-forget it. I'm tiered. I am going to take a shower, make something to eat and then you are out of here."

"Stop avoiding the problem!" Kyoya raised his voice as he stood up trying to tower over her, it was a bit difficult as they were almost matched for height. She laughed again shoving him slightly back with the palm of his hand. The anger flushed from him, and he felt more like a stubborn child than the cool, collected shadow king.

"Kyoya I am the shadow goddess, your techniques don't work on me." Kagame shook her head. She gave him a long glare before she turned away walking back towards the other set of doors he hadn't noticed, "I am going to take a shower and when I'm done, I'll be in the right state of mind and I'll forget that we almost had a fight."

He sunk back in the chair as he drummed his fingers against the chair arm. It was stupid, what had they been fighting over. Kagame wasn't her mother, Mikan wasn't that stupid, but still, he couldn't let it go.

What about Kagame made him want to make her give a damn? She was to like him, to clever, to organized, to everything. She was bit more eccentric than he would ever be, but there was still that cold calculations about people. He glanced the clock that sat on the long book shelf against the white wall.

It was now officially 12:30 am and he felt disgusted. He wanted to sleep, but the stupid piece of paper wouldn't stop nagging him. It was a mistake to come here, it was all a mistake, and he should just slip out now before she was out of the shower.

Somehow he couldn't will himself to stir from the chair, as he sighed folding his arms over his chest.

He wanted company that was it. He wanted somebody to help him, and he was failing rather miserably at getting it. He rubbed his face again, he would beg her forgiveness whenever she reemerged, and get off the topic Focus on finding on what to do with the clue, the more they waited the longer it would take.

He waited a few more moments for Kagame to come back, but when she didn't resurface he decided it would be better to make himself a cup of tea. He wandered over to the stovetop as he swished the kettle, lighting the fire as the dim glim danced off the wall.

He waited till it hissed as he reached for a mug, pouring the water slowly as he pulled down the small tin of tea. It was just like where he would keep things in their kitchen at home, it was disturbing, but not unexpected.

He dunked the tea bag, once, twice as he added a second one. He needed some strong tea. He watched the steam rise from the cup, as he lifted it up ready to sink back in that chair when he heard a door slam, followed by Kagame's phone ringing rather loudly.

"Kyoya!"

He heard Kagame hiss as she ran out to him dripping wet and barely covering herself in a small towel, "You need to hide. Put down the tea and get to my room!"

"Why?" He glanced at her, as she gave him a frustrated glare as she grabbed his wrist and tugged him forward as the towel slipped. He quickly turned his head away, as he was rewarded with slamming straight into the door.

"Ow." He muttered as his glasses clattered to the floor, but Kagame tugged him on down a small hall. She shoved him quickly into a rather well furnished room, and then into a rather cramp closet.

"Stay. I'll get you when its safe to come out." She waved a finger at him breathless, as she turned, slamming the door shut with a foot. Kagame sank to the floor shifting around the dresses and shoes, as he stretched out his legs best he could, without anything going numb.

He wanted his glasses so badly, as his fingers went to reach fort he bridge of his nose and found nothing. He gave another low sigh, so much for making up, what was her deal? She had run at him half naked, well practically naked. He wondered suddenly if she had forgotten that she was expecting someone, it would explain why he was now hiding in the closet.

The door creaked open as a hand reached through tossing his phone and glasses into his lap, before it shut again. He gratefully placed them on, blinking as he adjusted to the darkness.

He could hear her shuffling about, closing drawers, tugging on clothes, as he waited. She was getting re dressed? It was close to one in the morning. He glanced at the phone as he quickly texted.

_What are you doing? _

There was a frustrated sigh, as the return text read.

_I forgot I was expecting company. He didn't get off till midnight, and I said he could come see me at one._

He smiled as he raised an eyebrow.

_Oh? Who is it? _

She answered again; it took her longer as something clattered onto the chest.

_A chef. Hoyt. All right. I'll sneak you back out when I can get him distracted long enough. _

Kyoya leaned against the closet back as he texted back.

_Why can't you let me out now? _

There was hardly a pause period between her next one as he could hear her rapidly mutter something under her breath as the beep, beep, of her hitting the buttons.

_Because he's here waiting and drinking that cup of tea you made. Give me five. _

If he could see her he would have muttered a silent oh, but he just texted her back with a, **K.**

He could wait, he was Kyoya, and he was patient. He closed his eyes, drifting off slowly, and it wasn't only the buzz of his phone that woke him up. He rubbed his eye as he stared at the time.

It was three in the morning. He creaked the door open slowly, half expecting to see Kagame there, but she was gone. He stepped out as he stood up slowly, stretching out his arms. The lights were still all off as he walked out into the hallway. He moved slowly, pausing at the set of doors.

There were no sounds, as he creaked open the door slowly feeling more like a burglar than a friend. He moved forward slowly, but Kagame wasn't in. She had apparently left as far as he knew as he moved again slowly. Each step cautious like he was going to trip off a silent alarm.

He paused by the table, the piece of paper he had left, was neatly folded into a something. He picked it up, as he stared at it, but he couldn't see properly in the dark. He sighed, pocketing it gently as he moved towards the front door.

The night hadn't brought him any closer to solving the next clue, and Kagame was off touring new york with a new Bo name Hoyt, leaving him utterly alone in his own council. A dangerous thing.

He moved out of the apartment, half wondering if he should head back to the pent house for a decent night of sleep, but he also wondered if that's what he needed, if that's what he wanted.

No, he needed time away from everything and everyone. The club, to many conflicting emotions, Kagame had left him, and he needed to find a place to sleep in peace and fast.

He let his feet trudge him forward now, as he moved through the streets not really sure where he was going, just that he needed to get there and fast. He felt the phone ring once more in his pocket.

_My friend has a place you can crash. _

He gave a grateful shiver at Kagame's message, as he glanced up at the street. It couldn't be more than a few block from where he was standing as he moved at a brisk pace. He hadn't realized how tiered he really was as the wind whipped around him.

He hugged his coat tighter, as he didn't try to stifle a loud yawn, refusing to fiddle with glasses again. The apartment, like Kagame's, wasn't much to look at on the outside. The same chipped paint, same bars on the windows and iron wrought fence, but he climbed the stoop and rang the buzzer once.

The door opened to let him to the sweet smells of something cooking as he climbed the stars. It was the first door on the left, as he could smell spaghetti sauce. A small girl with bright purple hair was manning the stove as she turned and held his gaze.

"You speak Japanese?" She asked with a tiered smile as she plopped some kind of spice into the pot, "Yeah? Good, because my English isn't that great yet."

"Room cost 15 a night." She yawned as she pointed to a small door to the left of the tiny kitchen, "Don't mind the other two roommates, they'll keep to themselves."

Kyoya gave her a grateful nod as he opened the door. It wasn't like the accommodations he was used to, with the small one bed, and the two massive sleeping hounds on the ground on either side. He re shut the door with a soft click, as he threw himself on the bed, rocking on the springs.

He shut off the phone, as he turned over once, and then twice as he tugged the blanket up around him and left the world behind for just a few hours.

* * *

When Kyoya woke up, there was something or someone slobbering his face as he gave a disgusted grunt and turned away.

He was warm now as he kicked off the blanket as he took a minute to try and realize where he was. It all came back to him now, sleeping her closet, forgetting to make up for trying to start a fight. He had walked down the street, loosing himself in the night and just when he felt like he was going to pass out he got the address with a girl with a room for him to crash.

He rubbed the hound dog's ears as it shook its giant head giving a woof as he leaned over the bed. His cell phone was on the small stand as he turned it back on to be greeted with the sight of 20 new voice mails and 30 new text messages from Tamaki.

He sighed, typing in a short message that he was staying at a company house and would return by the afternoon, before pocketing the phone. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair felt more like a mash of goop than well groomed, and the sun was shining bright through the shades.

He pulled the phone back out as he glanced at the time reading 2:00 pm. So it was the afternoon, damn him and his need for sleep. He did feel rested despite it all in the small room, as he tapped his feet on the floor.

He stood up stretching, as he glanced at the small bed, surprised he had been able to actually sleep on it as he walked forward out the door. The girl, or there had been a girl from last night wasn't in the empty kitchen. There was a round table now, with a small place mat.

There was an egg on the plate and a glass of orange juice and as he leaned forward, a bill resting under the cutlery.

He pulled out the only chair as the only other occupant the hound rested his head on his knee wagging his tail. He rubbed the hound's head; he had no tags, as he turned to the plate slicing up the egg. He didn't know how hungry he was as he shoveled down everything in a few minutes.

He pulled out the phone as he dialed her number again, thumbing the table.

"Kagame?" He asked as he yawned, "How was your night?"

There was short scoff, "Fine. Fantastic actually. How was your night, where ever you were?"

He smirked,"Your friend has a neat little apartment. I don't mind the hound dog, but the bed was small and lumpy."

There was a long pause as Kagame cleared her throat, "My friend? Kyoya, what are you talking about?"

"Didn't you send me a text-" Kyoya began as he pushed back from the table rubbing his stomach now full, "Saying you had a friend-"

"Kyoya, I half expected you to tumble out of my closet, when I got back. You weren't there when I got in, so I thought you just went back to wherever your accommodations are with the rest of the club." Kagame answered as she cleared her throat again, she sounded like she was getting sick.

Kyoya glanced at the hound and the empty plate, and the bill. He lifted it up, but it didn't look like a bill at all, it had the number 15 written at the bottom in script. He stared for a moment more turning it over in his fingers.

15. He pulled reached for the paper wad, as his fingers grasped air. He reached into his other pocket, but it wasn't there either as he searched his pants, but nowhere as he gave another frustrated sigh, he was out one piece of paper and in with another.

He pulled out a couple bills laying them on the table carefully trapped under the plate as he took up the actual paper bill stuffing it in his pocket.

"Alright. You stay." He turned to the dog as he stood up heading towards the door, "Be good dog."

He didn't move, wagging his tail as he barked once. Kyoya shut the door behind him with a click, as he walked on down the hall rubbing his face as he reached for the phone once more.

"Alright, KAgame. I need your help. I just spent the night in a strange apartment owned by a girl with purple hair and a hound, well there were two hounds last night. And that piece of paper I got, I have a bill with the number 15 written on it." Kyoya muttered into the speaker, "These clues aren't making sense. I get one and this one comes instead."

"Kyoya, back track from you spent a night in a strange apartment.' Kagame ordered. Her voice echoed, which meant she was back safe in her own abode as he paced around, back tracking the streets. He wasn't really in a hurry, having made little progress with any of it.

He started from when he woke up in her closet to finding the piece of paper gone and the bill instead with the number.

"Again. " Kagame paused as she coughed on the other side, "You are fucked."

"Yes well when your ready to give me your actual advice I'm all for hearing it." Kyoya growled as he glared at the phone as Kagame sighed.

"Look." She snapped suddenly, "I'm sorry you can't just let it go, and I'm sorry you're obsessing about my sister who is happily avoiding all of you. Listen I'm going to be pretty busy for the next few days, so come meet me for dinner alright? We'll talk this over like civilized people."

"Fine. ' He glared at the phone as he shut it off. He wasn't obsessing, that was such an ugly word. He was being Kyoya, and analyzing every last detail, but he supposed she was right. She was always going to be right. So he had a note with the number 15 and six more pieces of colorful pieces at the pent house, given that the other's didn't loose them.

He walked half considered hailing a cab and argued against it. He needed time to collect himself, get his front back, the night had been in a word unnerving.

He walked briskly swinging his arms back and forth, as he hardly noticed the other people around him. It was some how lovely to be with himself, and away from the others, just for a day or two or three. They probably up to no good, unless Tamaki had suddenly fallen ill. He began to worry, refusing to break out into a run.

HE reached the hotel and their floor in a half hour, which wasn't to bad from all the blocks he had wandered from as he flung open the door. The place was neat and clean, smelled like flowers. The maid service had obviously been by, if they had a maid service.

He glared at the clean room, but noted it only to himself.

"Tamaki? Honey? Mori?" He called out in order as something stirred on the couch. Haruhi scratched the back of her head as she looked around the room.

"Kyoya. " She waved one hand as she collapsed back onto the couch, "They said something about taking out a an Ad, and that they would be back tonight."

"Tiered Haruhi? What makes you think you can just sleep all day? You're supposed to be searching for the puppy." Kyoya shook his head as Haruhi moaned. She didn't look to well, some what pale and her hair matted around her face. She was still in the pile of clothes she had worn yesterday as the TV was off. In short she looked horrible.

"Leave me alone. I don't travel well." She murmured ducking under the blanket, "I just need one day of rest and then I'll be able to around and be crazy with the rest of them."

He should be worried, but he wanted to change and shower before he bothered with anything remotely connected with Tamaki. IT would be easy to see if any charges had been made to the club accountant with his computer and what they were up to. He glanced at Haruhi, who was happily snuggled into the couch, and he considered for a moment somehow adding that to her debt.

If she got sick, he would add the cost to her debt, but she seemed to just suffering a headache.

"I'll be going out to dinner tonight." He called down to her from the stairs, "if you want to eat, it would be wise to call Tamaki or the twins."

"Okay." She gave another muffled reply as he shed off his dirty, dog slober, moth ball smelling clothes onto the floor. An outfit he was not going to wear again soon. He put down the bill with the 15, what he needed was a long shower and some time to think.

* * *

Poor Kyoya, I don't think he enjoy's conflicting, confusing feelings over clues and well torture is fun.

I wonder if anyone can see where this is going, feel free to guess about the 15 and the piecies of paper, or just wait till I update.

Suggestions welcome for what the host club should do, over the top, I have a few ideas, but I always enjoy hearing what people suggest.

As always leave a review, come on guys you are great at adding my to your fav's but a few words of encouragement really help me to keep this story going and I know alot of you, I still hope, are enjoying it.

Feedback is always welcome, but not always taken seriosuly.


	36. Period

Yep still alive. Kyoya centric chapter, he's had a bit to much fun in New York City.

Disclaimer: If I owned any of this I would be a lot more famous than I am.

* * *

Chapter 36

Kyoya didn't really want to answer his phone, but he felt he somewhat of an obligation to as he clicked it open.

"Hello?" He drawled out the words as he heard the chatter of Honey in the back round ohhing and awing at something shiny.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki's voice rose with the crowd, "We're at a street festival so we won't be back until tonight. Are you alright mother? How was your visit with your friend?'

"Fine. 'Kyoya answered shortly, not bothering to ask what street festival, there was always something going on in New York. He shrugged off the wet towel onto the bed dripping water on the floor as he paced over to his closet. He would be dressed to go out tonight.

"Well, er good you look after Haruhi. She isn't feeling very well, she tried to bite me today when we tried to get her to come out today." Tamaki seemed ready to start crying as Kyoya sighed, "Oh and we uh, those clues we got yesterday, they were kinda stolen when we ate today."

"You did what?" Kyoya paused running a hand through his hair. Tamaki gave another nervous cough as he launched into explanation involving a dog walker, a purple haired waitress, and an angry chef who wouldn't give him his soup.

"Purple hair-dog walker-"Kyoya paused, "Was it a big, black hound? Floopy ears-" HE couldn't remember more details, "The girl was she young?"

"Oh she might have been in middle school, maybe a freshman in high school." Tamaki answered, "Why?"

"Never mind. I will take care of Haruhi before I leave, I have an appointment with my friend.' Kyoya answered as he shuffled through the clothes, "I will take care of everything."

"Okay mother, be careful. 'Tamaki warned as Kyoya quickly snapped the phone shut. He needed something Casual as he tugged out the suit pants and the oxford, but something that wouldn't make him stand out.

He shrugged on the black jacket making sure he looked put together as he started on his hair, drying it roughly. The girl with purple hair, she was somehow apart of this now. He wouldn't assume the dog walker and the waitress could be the same person from Tamaki's story, but he would take the guess.

Why else would she have accidently bumped into them? What else would she had accidentally spilled sauce on Tamaki's jacket, where he was keeping the slips?

It made perfect sense to him for now, it would be a matter of tracking her down again, if he was able to look at the address, but after dinner, after he made up with Kagame and had a break from the madness.

She was right about Mikan, but somehow he doubted all these clues were now just about Mikan, or finding her. It was to well plan, and it seemed to signal him out. Either Jizo was Jin or Jizo was a third player, who just picked up that Mikan was taking a break in New York.

He picked up the notebook as he wrote down a few more notes. It was more disturbing to think that someone knew he had left Kagame's house and sent him a message which meant they had to have his phone number.

_Note to Self : Change Phone Number _

_Purple Hair Girl= working for Jizo / has paper slips _

_Who is Jizo?_

_Jin or someone else in the dance world _

_Why? _

_Possible motive involving Mikan's Past/ more likely toying with host club _

_Note To Self: Have Mikan pay dearly for cost of New York Trip _

He snapped the notebook shut again as he buttoned up the shirt, half wondering if he should put on a tie, but decided against it as he shrugged on the jacket and tucking his wallet in his pocket. He grabbed the bill from last night and his cell phone as he headed for the door.

Haurhi had the TV on, but she was still asleep as Kyoya shook his head. There had to be something inside the apartment he could make her, before he left. She could be quite irritable if she didn't get food or if she suddenly got sick. He shuffled around the kitchen.

There was food, as they often had people coming to stay who needed a quick thing to eat when the help wasn't in. He pulled out a can of soup lighting the stove as he dumped it into the pan adding the water as it sloshed everywhere. He shoved the top on as he waited for it to begin to boil.

The flame licked the bottom greedily as he checked around for where they kept the bowls. It had been a long time since he stayed here, they usually had a house ready for any extended visits. The pent house would not show on any bills his father might see, which he needed, of course the school had accepted their extended research trip on American culture.

He pulled out a box of crackers as he pulled a handful out putting them on the plate, as he grabbed down a bowl. The pot hissed as he glanced over, it was close to boiling. He wondered if it was a sad fact that he only knew how to make soup from a can and maybe a sandwich. It was part of the problem of being raised with a full kitchen staff, he hardly ever had to cook for himself.

He leaned against the counter tapping his fingers, as the pot slowly reached the boil as he stirred it once with a spoon before pouring it into the bowl. The steam made his glasses fog as he pulled them off, rubbing them clean.

He shut the stove off with a click dumping the pot into the sink and the can into the trash in one fluid moment.

He grabbed the plate carefully, caring it over to the table as he lay it down as softly as he could with the spoon. He wandered back for a minute to the refrigerator, as he tugged out the only drink they had bottled, water, pouring a glass.

He grabbed the keys again, as Haruhi was still wrapped in the blanket, her jacket discarded on the floor. He paused, wondering if he should wake her up, to tell her food was ready, but she seemed happy for the moment.

He stepped forward so he was directly above her, staring down in the soft light of the room from the one set of lights that was on.

He brushed a hand onto her forehead, but she wasn't warm which was good. His hand lingered for a moment as he pulled his fingers through her matter hair. She stirred as he quickly pulled away, and rushed out the door, down the hall with the keys dangling out of his pocket.

The elevator doors dinged open again for him as he stepped in trying to shake himself. The phone in his pocket began to ring, as he pulled it out.

"Kyoya. Hey. I forgot to tell you which restaurant. It's called Period up by Broadway and main." Kagame sounded breathless, as she tugged something on, "I'll be there by six, and we have reservations."

"Thank you Kagame." He said rather stiffly as he snapped the phone shut. That was 40 blocks from where he was, which meant another taxi ride, he wasn't up for walking again like he did last night. He wasn't sure what has processed him to do it last night.

He had never heard of Period, but that didn't surprise him, restaurant came and went like flowers in a field of horses, if they weren't the pick of the week, the lingered and something else picked them up or they were stomped out.

The ride was short, he could have sworn he had the same driver from the night before, he couldn't remember exactly what the man had looked like, what he had been heavy set with the ball cap twisted to the side and the subtle beard. The taxi revved forward, as they pulled out into traffic, but Kyoya didn't say anything, he wasn't in the mood for useless conversation.

It wasn't anything splendid as he glanced at the bright lights and the sign that was lit up in red, Period. He tried to restrain any thoughts about why she could have picked this place, as he stepped out of the taxi absent-minded.

The place was casual he noted as he stepped onto the main floor. Kagame was there to greet them in a black dress with the glitter of her gold necklace hanging around the low cut front.

"Hey." She waved grabbing his hand,"Come on they have our table ready."

He pulled his hand from her grasp following at an even pace behind, as she didn't notice letting her hand fall by her side. He eased into the chair as he kept her steady gaze, her hair flawless as usual hanging in curls. There was steady chatter of the other patrons as people's meals were delivered, wine poured, glasses clinked.

It was a snazzy place, he noted, with one careful eye. Not five star, but far from he had eaten last night. He rubbed the white table cloth, fine fabric.

"Kagame." Kyoya started as he pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose, "I think we need to make a few things clear, since we have just somehow become so intertwined in each other's lives."

Kagame raised an eyebrow as she gave a snort, "No Kyoya, I will not have your babies. And yes you may adopt Mikan, please take her of my hands."

"That wasn't what I meant." He answered as he watched her carefully study the menu as he gazed down, "I think I'll have the special today. I'm sorry about last night-"

"Oh I am to. Seeing me half naked is never a pleasant thing." Kagame shook her head as she fingered the one gold necklace looping it around her finger as she caught his stare, "Kyoya eyes up dear, I know your not staring at that menu."

He gave a flustered glare as he placed it on the table as he crossed his arms, "Where do we stand Kagame? I don't understand you. You call me at all time during the night, you get me to organize parties for half the school, you-you-"

"I am just like you.' KAaame answered as she snapped the menu shut with a click of her hand as she ran a finger around the rim of her glass smiling sweetly, "Only I have boobs and I look great in heels."

He laughed, it started as a grin and then he just couldn't stop as he held his chest. She leaned back waiting for him to re compose himself as he gave great breath of air and had to resist the urge to slap himself.

"Sorry." He shook his head, "The thing about the high heels, it reminded me when my sister would make me play house."

"Younger?" Kagame asked as she crossed a leg over smiling as Kyoya shook his head.

"Older, and my only one." He answered leaning forward to stretch out his back. Kagame reminded him a lot of her, which was a very scary thought, though his sister, was more flighty than Kagame was and yet some how more restrained.

The atmosphere, some tension had been cut, and it was like he knew where they stood, "So what are we Kagame, just for clarification?"

"Very, very dangerously close friends.' She answered grinning again as the waiter stopped to pour a glass of red wine. He passed as she sipped slowly, "I like it though, I think we're evenly matched."

"I think I have more than enough start against you.' Kyoya answered, not willing to give her the upper hand again as Kagame laughed this time.

"Alright, but enough banter. I apologize for your antics about my sister and I promise we won't fight like an old married couple again. 'Kagame raised her glass as he met her in the air clinking them together, "Any luck after your strange encounter with the girl with purple hair. Sounds like the name of a noir novel."

"No." He admitted pausing as the waiter took their orders, "I wish I had more clues, but every time we get somewhere, something else comes up. Tamaki said he saw the same girl; well she matched my memory of her at the restraunt they ate today. She stole the other seven pieces of paper we had received."

"Maybe she was apart of it." Kagame answered, 'Maybe this Jizo is a secret master mind, it doesn't really make sense for one person to put so much effort in you all finding Mikan and these clues, seems to target just you."

"Maybe it's a message for me." Kyoya answered as he smiled, "I like it so far, whoever Jizo is, their appealing to my curiosity and my cold blooded need to have everything tucked away."

"Well off the subject of mysteries that are going no where." Kagame flicked a hand, "I think I really like Hoyt."

"Oh?' Kyoya asked. He didn't really know Kagame's personal history, besides the few trails of broken hearts that had turned up in his research.

"Yeah." She smiled, "I mean we've only been on a few dates, but he's so nice, and different than the boy's back home. It's a good change."

"Well I'm happy for you.' Kyoya answered, "What are you doing in the city anyways?"

"Oh, trying to find what I what to do with my self. 'Kagame answered as she tapped her fingers against the table, "I don't really have anything holding me at home besides doing chores and making sure every one is where they need to be. Sho and Jun are getting older and have friends who give them rides. Ayumi, she's always gone, we hardly see her at the house any more. Mikan, well you know Mikan."

"I'm not sure what I want. I want to bake, maybe open a store, but New York might let me clear my head, see some old friends, that I've been gone for to long. They forgot what I looked like." Kagame shook her head, "I wish I knew where I was going at this point. It's enough for me to have Hoyt, he's such a sweet heart."

"I want to meet him at some point." Kyoya shook his head, "Give my two stamps of approval.'

"Oh you'll meet him-"Kagame twirled a curl around her a finger, "But don't think I'll let him near you."

"Stay five hundred feet away." Kyoya scoffed, "But I have to approveve who I date, especially to make sure I bring honor to my family. I need to have smart children, well behaved spouse, and a good house that will bring prosperity."

"Well then we're best suited for each other." Kagame took another long sip of her wine, "Oh good bread." As she took a slice and buttered it carefully munching away, "Good, good bread."

He watched her, as he took a slice for himself, "So do you think he's the one?"

"I don't know. I've been with so many." Kagame answered as she reached for another slice, "I can't tell if I really like him or it's that first rush of, oh a man."

Kyoya smiled at her impression rolling his eyes as he nudged his glasses up the ridge of his nose, "So if you were going to open a bakery what would you call it? Where would you set up shop?'

"Something local, something small, manageable. I have my own set of recipes and my own twist for classic cookies.' Kagame shrugged, "It would be nice to have something outside of chores, and taking classes at the University. I don't really want a degree.'

"Well maybe you can enter into a contract with Ouran. "Kyoya suggested, "It wouldn't hurt. We have our café, but they were looking for someone to provide morning goods before lunch, to go with the drinks."

"Maybe. I really want something independent." Kagame paused as she raised the glass again, almost gone now. She snapped her fingers, as the waiter re poured for her, as she gave him a silent smile of thanks, "Or I could do that, run it out of the house-or the school. I wonder how much it would cost to get a space for a store."

"Depends where you want to look." Kyoya answered, "I'll help you when ever you return to Japan. I'm not sure your coming back with us."

"You know me very well.' She smiled again as she tapped her fingers against the glass, "I probably will stay for another week or two, and get some ideas set into motion before I come back home."

"Not a bad thing. A break from Mikan's endless drama, I hope she'll be well whenever we find her." Kyoya answered as Kagame shook her head.

"She needed time to breath.' She answered, "Something crazy to break from routine. Everything happened fast and hard, and now she's going to have to try and think what she's going to do for spring auditions. Her leg will be better, but Ouran was our hope for her to vaulted to a company."

"I don't know if she can keep taking those private lessons, I know you set up, with the headmistress dismissing her from the company. And her outside studio isn't exactly on par with her usual regiment, I worry, Kyoya."

"I'll help her." He answered shrugging his shoulders, "I think your right. She needs time to breath and focus herself. If she does the studio, she'll keep in shape without pushing herself to far."

"Which we all know she does with dance." Kagame shook her head, "Mom is never at the house any more. It gets on my nerves, with how much time she devotes to writing. It's been like this since we left the farm for the city. Ever since Dad died, she just wanted to be at the type writer or the computer, typing all day, all night."

"She's now on the road, dinners, parties, she's a hit. I worry about her to, but I think she'll come home soon, for an extended break. She's popular, but maybe she'll wise up and take time for herself."

"Your mother is able to write for a living, that is a very proud accomplishment.' Kyouya looked at her, "And make a fine living."

"I know. She needs to come home and be a mother." Kagame clicked her tounge, " I have things I want to do, besides raise the twins and Ayumi, they're a handful as it is."

"Well I think you vacation will help you." Kyouya shook his head, as he ran a hand through his hair, "Easy on the wine, Kagame.'

'Sorry, when I have a lot on my mind I tend to drink a lot more." Kagame smiled as she rested her head on her palm, before she reached for another piece of bread, 'I'm so hungry."

"I think our food is here-"Kyouya began as the waiter quickly laid a platter in front of him, leaving it with a swish. He stared not sure to make of the 'special'.

"I don't think you can eat it." Kagame poked the paper Koi fish, "It looks like a rainbow."

She was right, it was seven colors, seven slips of paper. He looked up for the waiter, it hadn't been the one who had been serving Kagame. He stared back at the fish as he pulled it apart slowly. The paper crinkled, molded in the shape of scales, as it ripped open quite suddenly and there was foffm.

Confetti shot into the air, as he waved a hand in front of his face, brushing through the pile of colorful, glittering paper. There was just an old iron key, lying in the middle though, as he picked it up, shoving the plate to the side.

"Here's our food." KAgame commented as the real waiter brought out, the dishes. The special was a fish, ironically, with a side of granish and potatoes. Simple dish, but prepared well, he could tell. He slipped the key into his pocket.

"So what was the rainbow Koi about?" Kagame asked as she stared at the torn paper fish. Kyoya shrugged concentrating on dinner instead, and she was quick to drop her question. He didn't seem to be in the mood for explaining anything further.

"It's cute." She muttered, she worked her steak, working down the second glass of wine and starting her third. She did like to drink when she had a lot on her mind, and he noted to himself to cut her off if she finished that third glass any quicker.

"The koi legend says swam in the river until it became the dragon. "Kagame giggled, 'Maybe its part of the clue. The seven member's unite under the watchful eyes of the master, who is left to discover the secret of the koi."

"When did you get all mysterious?' Kyoya paused with the bite of food still on his fork.

"Well I was mauling over clues and what they could mean and the paper koi, the seven slips of paper, its obvious the girl with the purple hair is working for someone. The clues are meant for you. Whatever led you to New York, Jizo isn't the same person as the one sending you these clues now." Kagame answered as she sliced into the steak letting it run red, "So good."

"You think these clues are meant for me?" Kyoya stared at her as she caught his gaze. Her lipstick had begun to wear off as she tossed her hair.

"No. Well yes, but I think they are leading you somewhere. You're the master, Kyoya, there's a reason they signaled you out." Kagame shook a finger, "Maybe you'll supposed to find something for Mikan, something in New York, and hold onto it until she's ready. When the seven colors unite, and the Koi fish becomes the dragon. Or the phoenix rises from the ashes."

"Again, when did you get so prophetic?" Kyoya asked as Kagame smiled.

"The flare of the theatre darling. Whoever has gone through this much trouble, defiantly has a theatre vein." Kagame answered as she took another bite, "But enough about mysteries. I'm sick of mysteries, tell me what my boys have been doing since I last saw them? Tearing up New York City?"

'I honestly haven't been paying attention these last two days. Haruhi isn't feeling well and is currently nursing a cold on the couch at the pent house. Tamaki and the rest are out touring the sights I'm sure. The twins have been here many times with their mother, the other's a few in between." Kyoya explained quickly, "You make me worried though, bringing them up. They were attending a street festivalal tonight. '

"Well I wouldn't worry." Kagame waved hand, "About any of it. Tamaki isn't so stupid, I'm sure their just keeping an eye out for "puppy". It'd be funny if they went to the pounds or sent out a notice to the dog catcher, if you see this girl-"

"Don't kid." Kyoya warned her, "I wouldn't put them past it, especially since I'm not there."

"Oh please." Kagame shook her head, as she took a longer sip , "The boys aren't that reckless, at least I don't think they are."

"You haven't known Tamaki as long as I have, ideas for him are like mushrooms, they sprout all over and some of them can be toxic." Kyoya sighed, "You make me want to call him, stop it evil Goddess. "

"You love me." She shook her head, pouting her lips, "But since the night is young, would you be up for a trip around Times Square. When's the last time you cam to New York?"

"Two years." He answered leaning against the chair, "We stayed for three months, and that was enough for me."

"Three months." She nodded, "Bit of a long time, for someone to stay anywhere." As she pushed back the chair, "I'll meet you down stairs."

He glared at her, as he pulled out what he knew was more than enough to cover the bill and tip as the waiter came and quickly picked it up before he turned back. Kyoya swore he wouldn't get angry with her, not tonight. His stomach felt like it had a lump of fish, he needed to walk, stretch his legs.

She waiting where she said she would be, as the cape draped over her shoulders, with the faux fur collar, "The weather is changing dramatically these days-Never sure what I need or should be wearing."

"I understand," as she quietly looped an arm around his and he didn't pull away this time acting more as her escort as they entered the already set night. It had to be close to eight o'clock or nine now as he stared at the glittering lights.

"Time passes fast." She murmured, as she raised a hand hailing a cab, "Time's square."

"Hey I know you. 'The cab driver turned as Kyoya realized it was the same man who had picked him up twice before, "Lucky fare. My mother used to say, once in chance, twice is coincidence, and three times is fate. The name is Charlie, where you want to go pretty lady?"

"Times Sqaure, but don't get us there in a hurry." She grinned as she settled in the seat, 'How long you been working this scene Charlie?"

"Oh 30 odd years." He scratched the back of his head lifting up the cap, "Could navigate these streets with both my eyes plucked out. Times square? Nice place, did you see that new poster they got hanging, real eye sore, just put it up. Part of some fundraiser for all the city strays, we got enough as it is."

"No." Kagame shook her head, as she rested her hands on her knee, as she swung her leg up and down, staring at the passing car, "It would be nice to cut down on the animal problem. I had a friend who got bit just last week by some poor mutt."

"Who bit who? The friend or the mutt?" Charlie asked as he turned up the radio, "Got to listen to the traffic."

Kyoya never felt comfortable engaging in odd conversations, but Kagame seemed perfectly at ease with it. He didn't like how he happened to get the same taxi driver three times in a row, out of all the drivers in New York City. He hated the idea of fate, he much rather be in control.

"So, feel like walking, see a show or just people watching?" Kagame turned to him again brushing back a lock of her curly hair, "I'd do Central Park, but I always have a bad feeling about going in after a good meal and heels."

"No. It's fine." He answered as with a soft sigh.

"Your English is very good." Kagame told him, "Where did you learn? I know Tamaki speaks French-"

"Partly from classes" Kyoya answered, "And partly from my father's business, we were just expected to learn both languages, to converse with all clients."

"Ah." Kagame nodded.

"And you learned Japanese from your mother?" He asked as she nodded.

"Mom was teaching Dad and we just picked it up as kids. We had a really strong community in New York, so we all switched between Japanese and English, it made it easier to move back." Kagame shrugged, as she waggled her foot up and down.

"Hm." He twitched his lips, "You notice that neither of us talks about family?"

"I think it's a good thing." Kagame sighed, "Since you know a lot about me already, and I know more than enough about you, but if you insist, how many brother's do you have?"

"Two older." He answered, "We don't exactly get a long."

"I know." She shook her head pausing the words, "the feeling. What about your mother?"

"She is involved heavily in the fundraiser for our company. I do not see her often." Kyoya admitted, "She and father, they do not see eye to eye on many things."

"Ah." Kagame nodded again, "Are you betrothed to anybody?"

"No." He said, with a slight mirth in his voice, "I'm sure my father would love to marry me off, but I do not think the right circumstances have come along yet-"

"I hate the idea." Kagame said with an edge of bitterness, "Love is never about cooperation's or family, it's between the couple-but I suppose there is a certain rational about it."

"Its alright. It's hard for anyone to understand when you begin to play with such large sums of wealth.' Kyoya stared out the window, though he could feel her gaze burn into him, "Things, like love, take a back seat to the good of the family."

"It isn't right." Kagame murmured as she stared out the window, "But I suppose I'm no strange to the effects, my mother suffered the same fate when she married my father. Money, it's a silly thing to fight over, but we'd die for it and give it all up for love."

"I'm not sure I would. 'Kyoya admitted as Kagame stayed silent. There was a certain understanding he was sure, she understood about him, and where he was, and what, the pressures of being the youngest even from her families place.

She began to laugh as the radio played, "All you need is love. All you need is love."

"Did you ever see Moulin Rouge?" She asked as he gave her a blank stare. She cleared her throat, "Love is just a game. I was born for loving you baby, you were made for loving me. The only way your loving me is to pay a lovely fee. Just one night, just one night-"

"There's no way, because you can't pay!' Charlie joined in as Kagame clapped her hands in some kind of ecstatic joy. Kyoya edged his way over into the corner of the street, wondering if it would be all right if he just dodged from the car right now.

"In the name of love, in the name of love!" Kagame was struggling to keep a straight face between her giggles, 'One night in the name of love!"

"You crazzzy foool! I won't give into you!" Charlie held the note as another car went whizzing by as he swore swerving in his own lane shaking his fist, "Alright and here we are Times Square."

"Thank you Charlie." Kagame nodded as she glanced out the window, "Where was that eye sore?"

"Oh well I wouldn't call it an eye sore." Charlie rubbed the back of his head, shoving up the cap, "Just a bit much if you ask me for a bunch of stray cats and dogs."

"Well as long as there not doing those pictures of wounded animals-" Kagame answered as Kyoya dug out the cash to cover the fare.

"Hey ride on me." Charlie shook his hand, "Twice you've been my fare. Third time, there's always a reason a third time. If you ever need a cab, just look up my number 456, haven't changed in the last 30 years."

"Alright." Kagame spoke up as she opened the door to step up onto the curb as Kyoya scooted over following her as she stood patiently waiting for him.

"I'm surprised you didn't break out into dance." Kyoya stared at her as she grinned looping her arm with his and walking with the crowds. They didn't exactly stand out, but they didn't exactly fit in either with the sea of theatre goer's.

"Oh I know." She snapped her fingers, "Marcel will be out of her show in an hour. Their holding a reception for opening night back stage, we'll visit with them."

"Lovely, as long as I'm not paying for drinks." Kyoya rolled his eyes as Kagame smiled up at him.

"Come on Kyoya." She shook her head, "Let's see if we can find that eye sore, Charlie told us about. It shouldn't be to hard if he's as big as it as he said-"

"Kagame." Kyoya cleared his throat as he looked up at the corner of the busy street, underneath the long movie poster, was a picture of Mikan, only not Mikan, because he had never seen Mikan wear anything quite that, riske. It had the twins written all over it, somehow, only they could imagine that.

It was a very, very, large billboard, but it wasn't exactly unappealing to look at. The puppy was looking happy and somehow pathetic as she laid in, the white sheets, with her legs crossed over as she rested her head on her hands. The top resting just low enough. Her pink hair was cascading around her, in a way he had never seen her wear it to school, in the morning.

It was the puppy alright with the dog ears on the head band, it somehow completed her. The collar they had added was a nice touch, he would be sure to ask them how they had managed to add that into the photo.

He had to make a mental note, never allow the twins to get bored, ever by themselves on a trip.

Kyoya wondered if Mikan, wherever she was had managed to seen it yet and just what her reaction had been to see her face staring down at her from Time's Square.

"Why is my sister on a billboard with the words, Lost Puppy printed beneath and a toll free number for anyone with information?" Kagame seemed torn between confused and angry, "And why is she dressed, what is that?"

"A torn between a dress and a night gown." Kyoya blinked, as he reached for his phone, "This has Tamaki written all over it, give me a moment."

He dialed his number, but all he got was the dial tone. He clicked the phone shut, as he opened it again, as he dialed the toll free number instead.

"Hello-" The automated voice said, "You have reach help us find puppy hot line, if you have any idea's where the puppy might be please stay on the line and the next available operator will take your call-"

He clicked the phone shut, "I have a feeling I will need to do some damage control."

"Later." Kagame snatched his phone from his hand, "Look at it this way, someone will have seen Mikan and you heard the cab drive, people are going to think its for a charity. People always do stunts like this in the City. We can cover Tamaki's butt in the morning."

"We?" Kyoya asked.

"You're going to need someone to donate money." Kagame shook her head, "Come on."

"Are you suggesting we actually turn this into a charity fundraiser?" Kyoya asked as she tugged him along on the street dialing a number. She spoke quickly, something about setting up an accountant, yes she knew it was late, and then her thanks. She dialed a few more numbers as Kyoya watched as she clicked the phone shut again.

"There you go." She placed it back in his palm, "We're accepting donations for the Lost Puppy charity, and all proceeds will be going to the non profit rescue missions in New York, happy?"

"How did you-" Kyoya stared at the phone as Kagame shook her head.

"If you have to ask than you don't know. You can make Tamaki sweat in the morning , I hate to think the cost of taking out that kind of ad space, they charge by the day I heard-" Kagame shook her head as Kyoya felt himself pale.

"Your leaving me to find a way to compensate for what ever he spent-" Kyoya stared at the billboard.

"If you get as many calls as I'm sure they will, I don't think you have to worry about raising awareness. If you call in the morning copy right the image and then sell it to the kennel club as a logo, then you get a huge down profit." Kagame answered, "So just call in the morning, and then sell the whole thing by the afternoon."

Kyoya stared at her, "Kagame, I have decided you have outwitted me in to many ways. It is almost scary how alike and yet how much more clever you are than me."

"I'm a woman." She answered brushing her hair back with a flick of her hand, 'It's my job. Now please try and enjoy the rest of tonight for right now."

He stared back at Mikan, who's giant faced watched him with those eyes saying he might as well enjoy Kagame's wild company, as he nodded letting her pull him off into the night.

* * *

I give the host club ten points for creativity and 50 for being over the top and absolutely ridiculous, I wonder if it would be easier and less of a headache if they had just called the dog catcher.

Kyouya seems to have it under control though, thankfully since Kagame is a quick thinker. Oh well, the night holds more drama as Kagame fights herself and everybody in between. Again when did this story get so serious?

Review.


	37. The Night is Young

New Chapter, so for this one, for god sakes read through it all before I get comments. I hope its pretty obvious at the end, if its not I'll explain in the next chapter, but for now

1) READ ENTIRE CHAPTER BEFORE COMMENTING

2) when finished if confused write a review complaining

3) it should be obvious

4) you have been warned

* * *

Kyoya had never been to a theatre party, but Kagame had been correct when it was wild. He of course didn't have to worry about buying drinks, there was enough booze back stage to drown a horse.

Most of it reserved for the stars of the cast, who slipped away close to the end of the night, and that was midnight, leaving a few of the more rowdy crew to party, laughing.

Marcel, he learned was a small impish girl who had a small part in the play, meaning she had about three pages worth of lines in the two hour play. She laughed a lot, but didn't speak Japanese very well, leaving him to rely on his English.

It was good practice, he had fallen into a kind of lull by not having to worry about speaking more than one language. She was good company, but he took to the back as Kagame ran around talking with people. She knew them all, made introductions, but they seemed to smell him as an outsider, though they were polite.

He smiled, and made an effort to add to the conversation, but the New York Bohemia scene was not exactly his best. There were a lot of stares and a lot more whispers, he could tell from them about his standing with Kagame, who only rolled her eyes at them.

He took the drinks, slowly gulping a glass here and there, maybe a sip of beer and the conversation seemed to ease better. They gathered around him to hear about the host club, something that seemed to by the most amusing thing.

"So Kyoya, do you ever entertain your male population?" A man, what was his name, it didn't matter asked, as his fingers tapped the glass, "I can imagine there must be a huge market."

'We are strictly for the princesses pleasure." Kyoya answered ,"It is good training and great fun." He stared at the drink as he took another long gulp,"But we have a girl, Mikan, you must know her, who works for us. I never gave much thought to maybe having her host."

"Oh we love Mikan. Is she still dancing Kagame?" He turned asking Kagame who got that long, sad look in her eyes as she launched into the story since Mikan was asked to leave. There were a few angry mumurs.

"Politics." Marcel snorted disgusted as she shook her short red pigtails, tugging on her black choker ,"The theatre is much an art as a bureaucracy."

"Here, here." Someone cried raising the glass of beer, "To the blood and sweat and tears of the stage."

There was the clink of glasses as Kyoya shook his head. Kagame explained how Mikan was simply taking a break, trying to recover form everything, but she was going to still be a primma donna one of these days. There were murmurs of approval and then the talk turned to what, she, Kagame had been doing all these longs months away.

"A little bit of everything." She admitted as she yawned.

"I heard your seeing Hoyt." Marcel started ,"Has he improved?"

"If your referring to the one time we dated, yes he's a chef now. I ate at the place he works, head chef. Period, you've seen it." Kagame answered as she crossed her arms, "He's much softer now, he's done some growing."

"Going to chef school really shaped him out." Marcel answered with a nod of her head, "I'm happy for you. You've been through so many men and with your history, this must be a nice change."

"Thank you Marcel." Kagame wrinkled her nose as the man coughed and cleared his throat.

"Well Ladies I have a date waiting for me to come home, so I will see you both for brunch soon." The man with turned with a wave of his hand, "Kyouya, if you ever in this neck of the woods again, look us up. We love to wine and dine."

"Will do." He answered waving his hand, as he grabbed Kagame's elbow, "I think you've had enough. Thank you Marcel it was lovely meeting you."

The girl smiled as Kyouya moved by steering Kagame. He waited until they were out as he hailed the cab, "What was that about?"

"Oh, she's such a bitch." Kagame hissed as she climbed into the taxi, "Hey Charlie, long time no see."

"Ah." He waved, turning around, "You look ready to turn in. Where to?"

Kagame quickly told him the address as Kyouya closed the door. The taxi pulled into the early morning traffic, as he turned to her once more speaking softly.

"So you dated Hoyt before?" He asked crossing a leg over.

"He was my senior prom date. He was such a rebel." Kagame giggled, "If, when you meet him now, he's nothing like when we first dated. Six or seven years will do a lot to somebody."

"Ah." Kyoya shook his head, "how did you meet up?"

"I ate at Period with some girlfriends." She answered crossing her arms, "He brought out my dish and asked me if I would like to go out some time, we had a lot to catch up on and one thing led to another."

"You don't have much time to wait do you." Kyoya commented softly as she glared raising an eyebrow.

"Thank you Mr. Shadow King." She said stiffly, as Kyoya rubbed a hand over her's smoothing her easily ruffled feathers, "Sorry. I have a reputation, and people, well people talk."

"All part of the theatre flare, darling." He answered with a small smile, "I think its quite fantastic. Keeps you from being anything but dull."

"Oh-I'm so glad." Kagame said in a hushed voice as she grew quiet listening to the soft tune on the radio. Charlie pulled up to her apartment, as Kyoya pulled out the fare money.

"Thank you.' He murmured as he helped Kagame up from her place against the cab, shutting the door with a thump as they worked their way up the stoop. She wobbled with him as he sighed, lifting her up off her feet. She happily nuzzled her arm into his shoulder. She was incredibly light for her size, more like carrying a down comforter than a full grown woman.

There was no way she was walking up three flights of stairs in her condition as she wobbled her head back and worth, giggling. The drinks, to many drinks and not enough food was settling into her stomach.

"Oh carry me husband, together we shall rule over this land of mortals!" Kagame raised a hand for emphasis as her voice echoed on the stairwell.

"Not tonight Goddess, and we are not married." Kyoya heaved her up the last flight as his arms began to go numb, "Please tell me you have the key."

"Put me down." She yawned as he lowered her back onto her feet as she slumped against him for support, digging the small gold key from her the front of her dress. She unlocked the door as she stumbled inside, as he shook his head following her as he shut the door behind them.

"You need coffee or tea." He told her, as he put the kettle on, "no use going to bed drunk as a monkey. It will make for an ugly morning."

"And you have a way to cure this?' She asked as she stumbled over to the couch kicking off her heels as she leaned against the back happily.

"I know I can." He answered as he waited for the kettle to hiss, "So how do you know Marcel?"

"She, uh, well she dated Hoyt after me, but broke up with him, left him for an actor.' Kagame answered as she draped her arms rubbing her hands against the couch, "And I of course found out, because of our previous history. We then met at a few parties, got to know each other."

"She's just sore because I'm seeing her old flame."

Kyoya turned down the heat on the kettle as he pulled down the two mugs, pouring the water and the tea bags, as he dumped a spoonful of sugar and honey. He set them on the table, as Kagame moved over as he made him self comfortable. She leaned into him as her hand slowly loosened his tie.

"Can I help you?" He asked as she smiled up.

"Just making you a bit more casual." She answered as he shrugged off the sports jacket and un did his cuffs, setting it on the chair, where it draped. He pulled off the shoes and socks, letting his feet breathe.

"Better." He murmured as she leaned up sipping at the tea slowly, "This is fantastic tea. Ehm."

"Glad you like it." He answered as he blew the steam off his own. He hadn't felt so light headed in a long time. He had to much himself, in to many a ways. They must have lain like that for a half hour, few murmurs of conversation.

It was almost Two before Kagame stumbled up, "I should go to bed."

"I should get back." Kyoya answered as he started for the front door, but she caught his hand.

"I really want you to stay.' She whispered. The words hung there, as the early twilight hours filled the room. The mugs stood empty on the coffee table, as he paused glancing at her. The words filled him with dread and relief, as something churned in his stomach.

New York was doing things to him and he wasn't sure he liked it.

"You've had to much Goddess." He answered as he started for the door again, forgetting that he had to still put on his shoes and his jacket. She followed him, turning him around.

"If your going to leave, than help me out of this dress, so I don't ruin it when I go to sleep." She answered leaning up to him as she placed his hands on her back.

He tried to keep a cold even face, " Like I said, you've had to much."

She looked like a pouting child, who was getting her way, but somehow reserved as she didn't move.

"And you haven't had enough." She quirked her head at him as his hands found the back of her dress, the zipper, his fingers shook as he tried to make his hands steady.

She smiled softly as her hands found the small of his back pushing his back until he could feel the door pressing against him. To leave would be stupid with no money and no shoes. He could get her to back off, but he wasn't sure he wanted her to stop.

He could smell her sweet perfume, as he started on the zipper, un clicking the heavy gold necklace letting it fall to the floor. He tried to stop himself as he could feel her steady calm breath, as her fingers inched up his back, before shifting around to the front of his shirt.

"No, one of us has to say it." He answered as he froze. He had to think what this would mean for him, for them, if it ever came out, if it was never known, if he really did want her this badly, if she changed her mind.

"Well promise you won't scream rape for this. 'She answered as she brushed her lips against his as her hands ran through his hair gently, making him want to shiver at her touch before she pulled away giggling, "I did have to much."

He searched for the words, as he made himself think, shaking his head.

"You should go to bed." He took a deep breath as he helped her forward as she reached for the zipper on her dress. His fingers felt it first helping her tug it off as it fell to the floor in a sliken heap. She stepped out, as she walked like a proud horse, carrying herself across the room with soft steps.

He tried to keep reminding himself, just a friend, just a friend, but the way she looked in the black slip, her fingers intertwined in his leading him to her bed room. He had never been with a woman, a few girls through out the years in middle school, but nothing like her.

"Are you sure you won't stay?' She asked stepping back as she shrugged off the slip with a tug of her fingers. It was one last invitation, to try something new, to just give in to the wild side, to his wild side before he had to return to reality, to life.

"If I do, I don't think we can classify ourselves as just friends." He cleared his throat.

"Nonsense." Kalama clicked her tongue as she turned around, and he tried not to stare at the frilly underwear, as she happily un did his tie tossing it to the floor "A friendly kiss, a friendly cuddle, your protecting me" as she moved onto the bed turning over with one hand draped on her stomach, "And I promise not to sue when I wake up in the morning."

He wanted to say no, but he didn't feel like he was the one in control as he shed the socks, and the belt, un doing his shirt. He wasn't sure how far either one of them were going to take it, tonight, if they would ever have it after this night.

"Shut the door dear." She whispered as he quietly closed it with a thump taking off his glasses as he laid them on the table.

It wasn't right, how comfortable she fit next to him, or how much he felt at ease beside her as they intertwined in the sheets. It must have been close to four in the morning now. He felt sticky, sweaty, and yet somehow alert, awake, alive. Drunk off her, drunk off the wine, drunk off the night, of characters, people he would never see again.

Doing something wild, to break free of what his family wanted, what he always been taught when he had been with a girl, what he always did in the host club.

"Your three years my senior." He murmured, as she rolled her eyes.

"I told you Kyoya." She murmured, "I won't be having your babies." As she yawned and added, "My grandmother is eight years my grandfather. '

"They were married when she was 28 and he was 20. She had been married once before to a man who was twice that. I never think age has much to do when feelings take over."

"It runs in the family then." Kyoya muttered as she ran a hand over his chest. He didn't try to move it, but she didn't do much besides sigh.

"Why are we so perfect for each other? So like each other? So comfortable?" She wrinkled her nose at the last word ,"Your right about me having to much to drink and this being wrong beyond all belief, but do you forgive me?"

"Of course." Kyoya answered as she moved closer her long hair turned over tickling his nose, "Of course, I don't think I have a choice."

"We're agreed then, we never speak of this again." Kagame yawned, "There's no need to bring what happens in New York-"

"Of course." Kyoya answered pulling the sheets around him. For the first time, he didn't feel worried about school or raising money for the club, just being.

It was a long time before he fell asleep, and he could feel her deep breathes long before.

* * *

"Kyoya! Kyoya!" Kagame voice drifted above him, as he groaned trying to open his eyes.

"Kagame-" He whispered, as he blinked them open one by one, "Kagame-"

"Oh my god. Your okay." She took him by the shoulders forcing him up even as he winced.

"What happened?' He muttered, everything was a blur. He didn't have his glasses as he blindly fumbled for them, reaching out a hand, "Where-where are my glasses?"

"Oh sorry." Kagame muttered placing them gently back on his face. He was resting on someone's jackets as the bright lights shone from inside a window, their were people stirring and talking to themselves. He felt the soft cushions of a couch, and the smell of freshly cooked food as the sound of jazz played in the back round.

"What-what happened?" He murmured again. His head was throbbing.

"You passed out." Kagame answered her face was lined with worry as she took his hand , "Well no, someone was carrying a bottle of wine behind us, and as we walked through accidently knocked you cold across the back of the head."

"Where are we?" He murmured.

"You don't? Oh well my friend's after party show, Marcel, for friends of friends. We walked up the stairs- you carried me half way. I had to change out of my dress before- off my necklace-" Kagame's voice drifted in and out as he tried to concentrate on it. He didn't-he couldn't understand half of it as he closed his eyes and let out a small tiered sigh.

He blinked trying to remember what would cause him to do that, as he shook his head and lied back down, "Did I make a fool of myself?"

"No. Everyone thought you were sick or that's what I told them." She answered as she rubbed his hand with her thumb giving a small sigh, "You had me worried, we were thinking of calling an ambulance, then I started thinking how much the bill would cost and traffic. A friend of a friend was a head doctor, so he checked you over, said you were fine. Bandaged you up."

"How long was l passed out for?" He murmured, as he stared up at the ceiling and the people became a meld in the back round. He had the oddest dream about her, about them, something about underwear and a taxi.

"Oh twenty minutes." She shrugged, "When you stopped stirring we thought something might be wrong. Then he checked you over, probably will want to do it again. "

"I know how to do that." He answered quietly, he wasn't in his jacket, his shirt sleeves were rolled up and his shoes were off. There was the sweet smell of tea somewhere, "I'm sorry for spoiling your evening."

"Pft." Kagame's voice drifted beside him as her face came into picture. She was smiling as she shook her head her hair pulled back sensibly, and wearing a different outfit than the little black dress she had stepped out in, something more comfortable like a sweater with shorts, but plenty of acceptable he was sure for the party, "I'm just glad your okay."

"Yeah ." He nodded slowly as it hurt to move his head to suddenly. He swallowed and finished, "Me too. I think I'm just going to lie here, call me part of the party. Hired art."

She laughed as she threw back her head, "I'll get you some aspirin and water."

He watched her good, as he stared up the ceiling. He had the strangest feeling of a dream that was tugging just on the edge of his mind calling to him, but he couldn't remember. He needed to rest, she was right, as always. He ran a hand over his head, knocked out, that was a new adventure.

"Kyoya." Kagame's voice drifted as he popped the pills and drained the glass.

"If its all right with you-I think I'll just lie, maybe sleep." He told her as she patted his shoulder.

"Sure thing. The party is moving into the next room, so you'll have some peace." Kagame told him, "Sweet dreams."

"Don't say that. I think I had one about you, and its driving me mad." Kyoya answered as he turned over onto his side draping an arm over his eyes, "Good-evening then."

"Sleep." Kagame told him softly as she rose up, and he could hear the click clack of her heels meaning she was gone and slowly, oh so slowly Kyoya fell asleep.

* * *

Did I have you going? I'm sure I did, come on admit it. Lol, leave all angry, betrayed comments in a review, or praise, praise is welcome to.

Enjoy the new chapter as this arc is done, and a new one restarts. Kyoya I think is done with being in the spot light for awhile.


	38. Fear the Goddess

Warning: Don't put two shadow Lords in the same room with coffee. Fear mortals for your own safety.

So re post post of chapter 38, no more goose chases, much to kagame's sadness.

* * *

Chapter 38

Kagame was furious. She was hardly ever furious, but today she felt as if she could punch somebody in the nose. It didn't help that she already had and she was ready for more as Kyoya rubbed his sore side of the face.

Her wrist throbbed from socking him in the jaw, she wasn't used to having hit. Alright it was a usual occurrence for her, but it still hurt, as she rubbed it ruefully.

"You can't just leave."

She felt like a child stamping her foot, in the apartment kitchen. The mug of tea still steaming quietly even with the opening remarks of a fight. She was fighting a lot with him these days, a little to much.

Her clothes were a mix matched that tried to fight each other for attention, her hair a mess, and Kyoya still in the clothes that he wore out with her. His head was better, but his temper, his stupidly cold logic had returned and with it a lack of understanding.

"I can leave." He answered simply as he shrugged on the jacket. He still looked good, despite his head bump. It had been a trip to get him back, after she was ready to leave the after party but he had woken up early.

She supposed it had been her mistake to wake up and see him out, catch him leaving ,but then there he was with that quiet understanding when he had made up his mind.

She wasn't sure why she punched him, but the moment he had told her his plans that he was giving up the search, the game to find Mikan, she lost it. All her hard work was going to be ruined by his petty need to actually get back to school.

Their families were the most powerful at Ouran, he could easily have anyone who accused them exported with a snap of his fingers. He was giving up again, giving up on himself and the cause.

She had to admit it had been damn good, to wipe the smirk off his face and send his glasses clattering to the floor.

"I've already alerted Tamaki and told him that Mikan has asked that we not continue to look for her. That she is safe and that we are leaving for the next flight to Japan."

"No." She told him again as she crossed her arms, daring him to try and leave. They were matched for height. A drip of blood escaped his swelling nose fell to the floor, as he stared down, at it as it spilled about the floor.

"I'm bleeding on your floor, move." He said simply again as he pushed on his glasses.

"Your just going to lie to them and forget about Mikan, after everything-" She spat, as she clutched her fists. She really felt like a child now, but she wanted him to stay, he would ruin everything if he left now.

He was supposed to be the shadow lord the guy who had everything in order and could figure out the most difficult clues with a snap of his fingers. Of course he was out of luck, now, he had missed even the most simple clues.

The koi fish she had her friend made out of paper and getting them to serve it at period. Koi a play on Kyoya, she thought it made perfect sense, the key would have led him if he deciphered the picture she had gotten the girls to post in Times Square and if he had written down the phone number , the directions would have led him right up to Julliard.

She thought it was pretty damn clever to get him this far as she gave another fustrated sigh. This was to much work to get Mikan back to them, to much stress for her, even with all her help, getting Kyoya to see things the way he needed to see them was like chewing off her own feet.

"Have to much to drink?" He countered as he lifted two fingers to his nose, his glasses sitting slightly crooked, "It was fun Kagame. I had a good, if bizarre time with you these last few days, but its time to face the facts. Mikan isn't coming home."

Those words sent a pang through her chest. Mikan wouldn't come home if they didn't do something, she would be happy and stupid enough to stay in the city. Its not what she needed, she needed them, she needed to face that school, to face her fears. It was going to hurt her to do this, if what going to hurt her a lot, but god damnit, she wasn't going to let him just give up on her like that.

"So your that's all she was to you, an investment. Ran her course." Kagame focused on her words, as she flicked back her hair. She could see Kyoya visibly wince at the thought, he cared, some where down deep he cared. He just wouldn't chase her anymore, "I hate you Kyoya. Get out of my apartment and get out of my life. We-" She pointed to herself as she let the paused hold for a minute, "Are no longer friends."

He held her gaze as he simply brushed by her, and slowly shut the door. She waited hearing his foot steps fade away, as she slammed the counter. God damnit, she would have to work fast, Mikan would be in class.

She rushed around the room, pulling up clothes. There was one person she could count on to get Mikan, back and she would have a chance if she worked fast enough. The whole set up had been silly, playing games with the boys, but they wouldn't have run away to New York otherwise. They weren't what the word-attached enough to try and make her stop being stupid or wise enough to know when she was being stupid.

Kagame had to admit it would have been fun if Kyoya had figured out the last clue, and she could have held the party for her little sister and shock her into going back, but the chase was on now for a different reason.

She scooted to her room, as she pulled on her skinny black jeans and tang top, searching for the boots, as she slipped them over. It was going to be cold again as she slipped over the fuzzy purple sweater, and yanked at her hair with a free hand.

It was a mess and only two hours in the shower was going to save it, but she didn't have time, to do much besides get her face on. She splashed on her usual routine, as she flung open her door, and grabbed her cell phone off the table. She hit the speed dial as she cleared her throat.

"Charlie-yeah its pretty up town girl from last night. No, no, he's recovered. We had a fight-yeah I'm glad to. Listen I need a favor." She paused, thankful that she had gotten the cabbie's personal number. She paused letting him ramble on about how he knew Kyoya was no good. Why did everyone think they were dating?

"Yeah just pick him up and bring him Times Sqaure, he doesn't know the city and his English is so-so. Yeah I'm sure he'll be riding alone, if I know them he'll be riding alone. Yeah that rights, short, brown hair, big eyes can't miss him. He'll be the poorly dressed kid."

She dialed through the phone again as she tapped an impatient foot against the floor, "Hey Jin its Kagame. I'm going to keep calling you every ten minutes, but remember that back up back up plan I had in case, well everything else fell through, its time to act on it"

She waited for him, to mumble something incoherent back to her, something about how early it was and she was crazy, because he had a class-but she gave another fustrated sigh.

"Look this is my last chance to get Mikan back home to Japan so try and work with me here." Kagame threw up her hand as she rapt her fingers against the countertop. She was not a patient Goddess, she knew that, but time was not her friend today either.

"I socked him the nose, he's going to be pissed off at both of us, and I'm pretty sure he thinks your behind all of it." She nodded as she yawned, "Well better to have you banned from Japan than me, no, I'm sure he won't have you excucted by drill squad. This is Kyoya-well okay just bring a bullet proof vest to class just in case."

"No." She sighed again rubbing her eyes, "Mikan cannot know. She was the one who whisked you away to New York. Yeah I know you wanted to go back to Julliard anyways, and you can stay, your not the puppy."

"No. I don't care if she is happy at the moment, I'm doing this because I love her."

She paused again as she leaned against the counter, "I told them you were going to marry her, so just roll with that like we talked about-you took a couple improv classes didn't you-just put all the ham you can on it. Tamaki should eat it up."

"How do I know they'll be there?" Kagame stared at her fingers in a bored manner, "Trust me I'm the shadow goddess, these mortals have no control over their fates."

She waited another moment ,"Right, so I will see you well maybe in a week when its safe to come out of hiding, until then stay strong. I have things to see to."

She didn't let him finish the garbled line of curses as she re pocketed the phone and snatched the keys of her table. She had a whole day ahead of her, once she got Mikan happily on a plane again.

* * *

Well thank you all for bearing with this story, with me, with the very long side trip New york has been, but thank you to my fans, readers, and visitors, to everyone who's fav'd alerted, and checked out this story. I hope I have explained everything, we're almost to the end of the first chapter and its been quite a ride.

Review as always and you get puppy kisses.


	39. What? Nowaitwhat?

And, drum roll please, wow 439chapters, and most of it character building, the joys, you know that gives a lot of room for growing in then next chapter of Mikan's life..hehe.

* * *

Chapter 39

To say Mikan Tanaka was very confused was the least of her problems. Her mind had been more filled on how pointed her toe was and the fact that her feet were starting to cramp with every step making it hard to do the exercise for the rest of the class.

It did help that Jin, her right hand was beside her, or had been moments ago before his cell phone rang again. He had been picking it up non stop every ten minutes, she knew he had lot of people he knew in New York, but this was rid. She had shook her head at him, and told the class that they needed to think of a good punishment when he got back.

The girls, all Ayumi's age giggled at that, as she turned to the mirror again and went through the steps. One, two, three, one, two, three. Mikan had never been in charge of such a big class, but it was a lot easiser then she thought it would be.

That was unless they were testing her on how much she knew, then she would have to show them up one or two.

WHAM!

Mikan stopped mid step change, as all 30 heads snapped to the right to see who had entered with such a loud manner, as she felt her mouth drop open.

The doors to the studio had been flung open and in panting glory a very tiered and ragged looking Haruhi supported only by a very out of breath Mori, stood together looking like to rag dolls.

The girls stopped paying attention to her, and broke out into whispers as Mikan slapped a hand against her face and jogged over to the stereo as she hit the pause button. She clapped her hands, "Alright 15 minute break girls, out you go, all you."

They nodded moving almost the same way the peacocks at Ouran moved, one amassed pack shuffling in steps past the two mysterious figures.

That had been the first thing to catch Mikan off guard as she crossed her arms as she waited for an explanation for why they had broken into their class. She got instead something she thought she would never hear.

"Puppy." Mori managed. It was a whisper, a hoarse whisper that was almost to low for dogs to hear, but she was a puppy and the echo in the empty studio added to the volume. She had never, ever heard him speak.

"Yes." She uncrossed her arms as she tugged on the white practice tutu, and pulled up the black stockings. She was having to get used to the style once more, where everything clinged to you. She wasn't angry at seeing them more surprised.

She hadn't told anyone that she had decided to go back to Julliard with Jin, she had been offered of course when her old teacher found out that she had been 'kicked' out of Ouran. She had been offered a place in the class and the job as a teacher aid and Jin of course could be her partner.

She just wanted time to dance again, to make her choice without worrying, but seeing them here, she should have expected it.

"Mikan-" Haruhi panted as she gave another cough, "We had to find you. Kyoya said-"

"I'm sorry." Mikan cut her off with a wave of her hand, "Its my fault. I should have called or at least told somebody. I don't think Kagame even knew where I am, why do you look sick as a dog?"

"Not feeling to well." Haruhi answered as she rubbed her nose, pulling on her over sized sweater, "Plugged myself full of cough medicine, We had to find you Mikan."

It was the urgency in her voice, that made her more confused as Mikan paused trying to wrap around what she had said. They needed to find her. Interesting.

"Uh huh."She nodded, "And why-what-who?"

Haruhi took a deep breath, "Okay I'm only going to explain it once so pay attention. We got a mysterious note five days ago signed from someone called Jizo. It was a series of confusing clues that led us well not you-Kyoya had been in charged of trying to figure the rest out-and he said this morning that-"

She paused and took a deep breath as she coughed again, "you called him and said you didn't want to come back. So we were going back to Japan-and then Honey left Usa-chan at the apartment we were staying at, so me and Mori-"

She took another gasp for air, "went back to get it. And then we got sidetracked by this crazy taxi driver who said we had to go to Broadway street and he wouldn't let us out until he dropped us on the curb. And then we got another final message from Jizo and Mori-"

She pointed behind her, "Led me up here to-you. And you need to come home, please. I can't do this again."

She sat on the floor, as Mikan turned finding her small black dance bag sitting quietly in the corner. She pulled out her water bottle swishing it, as she unscrewed the top and handed it off to Haruhi, "This is my morning brew, green and herbal tea mix, with a healthy dose of Vitamin C. It will taste a bit orangey but it should help you feel better and flush the drugs out."

Haruhi nodded as she gulped down the entire contents in a few moments time, wiping the back of her lips, "Thanks. Come on we have a plane to catch."

"But-" Mikan looked at Mori who wore the usual stony face of never ending silence and then back down at Haruhi, "I-"

Then the third and final most confusing of her morning, fell into place as the door was thrown open once more.

"PUPPY!" Came the united chime as Mikan found herself drawn into a pile with the combined efforts of the twins, Tamaki and Honey to squeeze the breathe out of her.

"Can't Breathe!" She failed her arms as they bombard her with questions.

"Did you marry Jin?"

"Is Jin Jizo?"

"When are you coming back?"

"Why don't you want to come back we were good masters?"

"HEEL!" Mikan screeched stomping a foot down on the ground as all four sat on the floor at her feet, as she pressed a hand against her forehead rising up onto her pointe shoes as she backed up a few steps, "Now-what the hell is going on?"

"I'll tell you."

She turned as she spied Jin still wearing thankful his warm up outfits of sweats and a tang top, as the black flats peeped out. His hair looked plastered to his head, but he threw his arm back taking exgeratted steps forward.

"Thank you." Mikan stared at him as she put her hands on her hips, "Wait why or rather how do you know?"

"I was-so jealous." He pressed a hand against his forehead as he grabbed her spinning her by the hand, before dropping her back, "I couldn't let you keep the puppy-" as he let go dropping her with a thump to the floor, "SUCH WASTED TALENT!"

"Ow." She muttered, ignored as she picked herself up fixing the tutu and pulling at the Leotard straps. Jin it seems wasn't finished as he twirled around twice and doing some weird half jump.

He dropped to his knees as he crawled over to Tamaki, who stood up and crossed his arms pointing down with one finger yelling, "I knew it! I knew it was you! Jizo warned us you would steal the puppy! Well did you marry her-"

"Marry me?" Mikan stood up as she stomped over openeing her mouth to explain just why that would never happen, before Jin slapped a hand over her mouth leaving her to give a very mumbled explanation.

"Shh!" He hissed at her, as he cleared his throat and shook a fist to the air for dramatic effect.

"Yes! I begged, we were so madly in love, but she wouldn't listen-" Jin answered as Mikan could do nothing but glare and cross her arms. So she and Jin were madly in love and he had kidnapped her to New York, honestly the things the boys came up with.

He let go as he grasped her by the shoulders, shaking her non to gently, "Mikan Tanaka. You can no long deny me-please marry me here, we can truly be together."

It took all her effort not to laugh, as Mikan pushed him away and pushed the pins back into her rather good looking bun. It took a lot to get her hair to wrap around.

"No." She answered, "I don't like you."

"HA!" Tamaki answered as he thumped his chest, "She prefers to be with us her true masters, the ones that care and love and-."

"No." Mikan shook her head, as Tamaki didn't give her a chance to finish running from the room sobbing. Something about how the puppy was never happy and how worried they had been and that he never wanted another puppy.

"Well we didn't want you either puppy." The twins stuck out their tongues as they followed suit, grabbing each a half of Haruhi dragging her with them, "Come on dog, back to Ouran and your tasks."

"But-but-"Honey started as Mikan shrugged and he turned with tears welling up in his eyes as he grabbed his bunny and ran out of the studio as well.

"Did everything wear their crazy hats today and I just didn't get the memo?" Mikan threw her hands up in the air, as she turned on Jin who had been quiet, "And you what was that all abut, us being in love-your feeding into their wild rumors. I mean it was cute- but come on."

"You mean." Jin cut her off, as she stood back, "After all of that your not going with them."

She glanced at him, as a moment of silence or two passed, "Put on the second cd, I want to start floor exercises."

Jin didn't move, "Mikan-"

"What?" She turned on him. It was hard to get angry at him when he looked so cute, with that ruffled black hair, the crossed arms, and such a well toned chest. Damn him for being beyond her now, though it had been fun to do all the lifts again-just like the old days.

She lowered her arms as she turned around, Mori had not moved from his place. She walked slowly over to him, "Mori. You need to leave."

He shook his head no.

"Mori. Its really sweet you guys want to do this crazy-I dunno play to cheer me up-but you need to leave."

He didn't move. She braced his chest pushing on him, but he didn't even lean back. She went to go around him and he simply side stepped her. She moved to the left he blocked her path.

"Mori, don't make me do this." She warned as he waited, almost like he knew what she was going to try next. She turned and swung her leg, meaning to catch him where it would hurt just a bit, but his hand caught her foot as he walked lifting her leg so it was right by her head.

She still had to stare up, "You can let go now."

He did slowly as she lowered her leg again, and crossed her arms, "Jin-"

Jin however shook his head no, and backed up.

"Oh some help you are." Mikan complained as she yanked on his black vest, yanked on the t-shit, but it was like he was made of stone, "Mori move I have a class-hey what are you doing put me down."

He flipped her over his shoulder, and then with one hand, held her even as she tried to life herself off his back, "Jin! Save me! Come on!"

Jin only waved good-bye, "I'll let them know you won't be staying at Julliard on accountant you've been kidnapped by the Ouran Host Club. They'll understand!"

"Understand!" Mikan yelled at him as she thumped her fists against Mori, "Let me down damnit! I have a class to teach, I am more than a sack of potatoes!"

She might as well have been yelling at a brick wall, as Mori walked right out the door, as a hand closed them with a click and voice that would have made nuns cross themselves and say their hell mary's, greeted her.

"Welcome back Puppy."

She stared up at the non to happy shadow lord, who looked tiered, his glasses were crooked and his nose was bleeding with a large bump on his head. Basically he looked like he had gotten in a bar fight with a blind very drunk and angry monkey who deep in debt, had problems with the wife and his tab was only getting higher.

"Mori the passports you took-" He emphasized the last word as Mori dug them out of the vest pocket handing them over as he nodded and started forward again.

"Wiat you guys can't take me! I have a class to teach! I'm supposed to have a lesson in an hour!" Mikan was close to shouting as Kyoya smacked her non to lightly on the head. She rubbed the sore spot wincing.

"Shush puppy. You are in more trouble than you can permanently move into the dog house." Kyoya began as he pressed a finger against her nose, "But first things first-if you mention you CRAZY,PSYCHOTIC, SISTER! IN MY PRESENCE, then you may want to look for a replacement heart, because your last one will be still beating in my hand."

"Second if you mention New York City in any form to me, I will break both of your legs and make it look like an accident."

"Thirdly, your punishment for your brash, immature actions will be taken into consideration when we return to Ouran, so please don't try to skip town, I will find you."

He paused as he pushed up his glasses and Mikan gulped, but he only grinned and nodded to Mori as Mikan watched helplessly as her short stint, her very short stint back at Julliard was over. There was no one she could shout out to, to come save her.

Everyone was in class at the moment, though they did get a couple of strange groups from a tour group.

"Practicing lifts-" Is what she caught the tour guide explaining as she clapped her hands and ushered the group farther away up the stairs, away from the crazy, good looking students.

She tried to feel upset, but all what was coming up was a need for some Advil and an ice pack and maybe a banana, so much for a normal life. She was never going to be rid of the boys at this point.

She wasn't sure it was a bad thing as the twins rubbed her head and Tamaki crossed the life out of her, when Mori sat her down by the limo. It was freezing outside and she hadn't time to throw back on her sweatshirt in the process of being kidnapped.

She felt quite silly in the tutu .

Forethought she reminded herself, next time makes sure to grab sweatshirt or ask captors to.

They again started with the questions and as she ducked in beside Haruhi who was happily it seemed breathing just fine and no longer coughing at least. She wondered if she had any more of that cough syrup on hand.

It was going to be a long ride home.

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eh, marry Christmas, belated Christmas at least which is why I decided to post two chapters in one day, better than sitting round on my comp gathering dust until I forget about them. I have officially almost finished this story before the start of the new year thank the Goddess. Hehe, mori can be possessive can't he?

anywho the arc is over and the epilouge is next, dun dun dun...I really would not want to be at the butt of Kyoya's wrath, and I would not to be Kyoya at Kagame's wrath evil Goddess she is.

stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of PUPPY

and in the meantime, read, review, and enjoy puppy kisses for free


	40. Da Epilouge

Wow. This is the end of Puppy? HOLY MOTHER OF MARSHMALLOWS!

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Da Epilouge

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Mikan could feel herself quake just standing there, and it wasn't because it was cold. It wasn't even remotely cold where she was standing. The third music room was empty as it should be, and she should be at lunch, but she was instead standing still with a very empty stomach waiting for the shadow lord to dole out his punishment at his whim and lesiure.

She crossed her arms, trying to make herself small as he sat quietly in the chair, his arms resting on either side, happily staring at her. He glanced over his glasses as he held up a roll of paper and let it slide down to the floor.

"Our total expenses from New York City." He told her as she gulped, "Now. Discussing with myself, I have decided not to add any more than a quarter to Haruhi's debt, and the rest will be on you to make up."

She nodded quietly as she wrapped one finger over her pink hair, twirling it nervously, "I'll have the money in an hour or two."

"No." Kyoya answered as he rapt his finger against his, the chair arm.

Mikan blinked, "Um no? You took me-I was happy there. I didn't need you-"

She cut herself off, when Kyoya didn't stop smiling.

"The story goes Puppy you ran away when the pressure got to much, enjoyed a brief week of solace and returned to us, happy and ready for work." Kyoya answered as he sighed.

"Mikan, I understand that you were happy in a way at Julliard." He answered as he nudged up the glasses, "But you were happy at Ouran as well, before the headmistress of the Theatre had you nicely removed."

Mikan looked away , hate to admit that he was right, somehow right. Strangely Kagame had expressed the same feelings when she alerted her that she had been gone and when she had returned to Japan.

"But I digress." He waved a hand, "You are here, and you are ours- yes ours. And you are going to pay off this bill-"

She picked it up, as she glanced back up to him feeling her hands tighten just a bit, "800,000 dollars? 800,000 dollars?"

He shrugged, "We are expensive people, and Tamaki had a few incidents-along the way when I was not there to keep him from well-we won't go into it anymore."

"You want me to pay-" Mikan huffed as she stared at the bill again, "And why am I still standing here?"

Kyoya just kept the same smile, as Mikan crossed her arms again, rubbing the paper between her fingers, "Okay Shadow King-I pay off the debt how."

"Ah." He nodded, "Since your not a host, being a girl-that is why I have decided to make you the puppy."

"I am the puppy." Mikan answered as she rocked back on who shoes, "So-"

"No you were never officially adopted into the family." Kyoya answered, as he waved one hand to the side, and leaned down to pull up a small blue box, "Go on."

She took it from his hand slowly, as she tugged at the ribbon as she tugged off the cover. There was a very pink, very leather dog collar lying, as she ran a hand over the diamond studs.

"Um this is very sweet-" She started as she held it up, "For Cho-o."

Kyoya shook his head, as she felt her face fell. There was a gold tag attached, a tiny heart as she lifted it up with a finger reading the name-"P-Uppy."

She shook her head, as she let the box drop from her hand, and slid the collar around her neck, clicking the latch into place, It felt strange, but it hung nicely, not like a choker as she could slip all five fingers under.

"Woof." She finished as she grinned and felt for the bag with her fingers. She thought she heard a bell ring as she turned to go.

"Mikan." Kyoya called after her as she turned mid step.

"Yes." She grinned leaning back over arching her back, her long hair reaching down her back.

"Club today. I'll be presenting a list of new 'dog hose' rules." Kyoya began almost in a bored tone racing, his hands over the armchair, "You are an official member of the host club, maybe not a host, but the next best thing. And if you ever run off like that again with out my conceded permission I will hunt you down and add a chain to your collar."

"Understood." Mikan managed as she snapped her heels together and saluted him quietly. She thought it would have been worse, with the way Kyoya had acted all week. Avoiding her, giving her cold glares far afar, but when he passed her in the hall, telling her to meet him about her lunch hour, she couldn't helped but been worried.

She was still confused over what happened in New York, and Haruhi had refused to explain it ever again, muttering how she was never going out of the country again either.

She felt the pink leather thing, with the diamond studs as she rubbed a finger over them, "Kyoya are these real diamonds?"

She turned to speak to him, but the door instead to the third music room slammed in her face as she slowly picked up her bags instead. She had to go see to Yui, Rai and Momo, who the first she had caught of them seemed to be bursting at the seams with questions, just like all the other girls in her classes.

She glanced at the tag again, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Puppy." She giggled as she walked on swinging her book bag, "I'm the puppy. Guess the twins can't call me a mutt anymore, I'm legit."

The words felt natural, but foreign coming from her mouth. Something she had always wanted and suddenly had kind of feeling, as she heard Haruhi cry from the end of the hall.

"Mikan! hurry up, your going to be late for class."

Mikan smiled and waved as she ran to catch up with her friend, the little tag jingling as she did.

Puppy, she was home at last.

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**Spolier Alert: Sequel to Puppy will be called Host and will be posted later and extra what if chapters soon. **

Boring Author Note stuff:

Daw. Hey anyone know how I would suffix –chan for Puppy, is it just puppy-chan? Sorry I don't speak Japanese and the web can be very sly about lying to me.

Well 40 chapters even, I'm so proud of myself. I hoped you all like this story to those who did not indicate otherwise, and I hope to have more host club craziness in the next story. All ideas, suggestions, critiscms, deep searing flames are welcome by clicking the lil button.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and faved and alerted and viewed this story, it would not be much without all the support and wonderful comments to my poor little ego.

Puppy I had never expected to get so BIG ! but it did. The original, original draft when I started what three years ago was and still is a scary thing to remember, the original, original lost when I fed it to the pit of oblivion. I am quite proud of what I have made, and I hope you keep reading.

Till then

Sugar-high pixie out

Puppy kisses are free this time, but review, fav or alert!

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Hey! Where did everybody go, I know you there, so send some love and fluff please. Comments, suggestions.


	41. Deleted Scene: Courting Grimm Part One

Deleted Scenes from Puppy

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**Courting Grimm Part One**

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Kagame had known Hoyt Grimm for a long time. The first name suited him no more than his last name. Well maybe his parents. They had been so strict when she had first met them, that one day at high school, when they had been sitting together outside the principals office for getting in a fight.

With each other.

She remembered his white blonde hair, cropped so short it was more fluff, but she liked the way his blood tinged the edges and how it made his black eye stand out even more. She was totally in her right to the beat the shit out of him, he started it, and she shouldn't have to tolerate it.

They were waiting for her mother to show up, which was not going to happen, so Kagame stood up and walked into the office. The secetary glanced up with one raised eyebrow. No one approved of the way she dressed, but this was New York City, if she didn't get to dress in fishnets then she never would.

Hoyt followed behind her dragging his feet. His parents were on their way, but Kagame didn't have time to wait for them. She had the twins and Ayumi to help when she got home, and Mikan needed to meet her little boyfriend for dance class.

"Is Phil in?' She asked as the secetary gave a loud pop of her gum, as she buzzed the door and Kagame strutted through the door. She took a seat in the plastic chair, crossing over her leg.

"Kagame. I see your no adhering to the dress code again." The principal cleared his throat, as Kagame tugged at her skirt as she pulled the grey sweater closer. She hated the way he looked at her sometimes as she glared.

Wear fishnets and you were sure to prosecuted by the man.

"Mr. Grimm. I surprised to find you here, but I suppose not with Ms. Tanaka." Paul began. She always called him paul, she was in the office to much, not to know his first name, "Now someone explain what happened."

"I did just what her stockings invited me to do." Hoyt answered shrugging, his accent was still thick as butter when he wanted it to be, "I just helped myself."

"He touched my ass, and I gave him the appropriate signal to fuck off." Kagame answered as Hoty looked away. He was a troubled kid, always wearing baggy close, hanging out by the wall with the boys even her mother would have a hard time finding something good in.

"Sexual harrashment." Phil sighed as he sank into the chair. It wasn't a surprise, more weary, as something happened once a week in the same nature. Kagame had become known for being a hard ass though. She needed to be, she had to be.

She glared at Hoyt, "Look Phil give me a weeks detention for punching him, forget to mention it to my mother, and I promise I won't take it public."

The principal shook his head as he waved a hand, "Kagame you may leave."

She did so gratefully as Hoyt blew her a kiss, as she walked out, and she glared. He had made a damn good enemy, as she walked out the door, slamming it none to gently behind her.

There was a set of Grimm Reapers in the lobby. They were dressed head to toe, in tight form fitting clothes, and their skin was pale. They had shallow eyes, wispy hair, the woman with a tight black bun, and the man towering beside his wife with the same white blonde hair. They were signaled by the secretary to go in.

Hoyt's parents. She stared for a moment longer, before she hurried out of the office. Grimm fitted them a little to well ,and she felt a pang of guilt for Hoyt, the snarky, sexist, bastard. It must not have been easy, with the german accent, idiots telling him to go worship Hitler and other stupid phrases.

She shook her head, as she grabbed her bag from behind the cubby where all the bad kids had to drop their things. She hoisted the backpack onto her shoulder as she sauntered out, not in to much of a hurry anymore.

That was the first and last time she had ever had a problem with Hoyt. He had left after that, shipped off by his parents back to Germany. She heard that he had gone missing, hit the road from where ever they had sent him.

She hadn't thought of him in a long time, that was until she was sitting alone in Period. Her girlfriends were late, something about catching drinks with some guys they knew from work. They would be enthralled if she came along , but Kagame was prone to sulk and make them feel bad instead.

Besides, she didn't really feel like drinking on this trip, it wasn't really her thing or what she was in the mood for as she glanced her phone. Kyoya had called her earlier, which didn't say much about anything, besides her stifled giggles when she had run into some friends from the theatre.

"Sorry ma'm I couldn't help but notice you seem a little alone."

She glanced up, at the blonde. He wans't waiter, his jacket betrayed him as a chef. She gestured to the empty chair at her table as he sat across.

"Excuse me, I just got off work." He tugged on the jacket, "It's a bit dirty."

"It's fine." KAgame answered, feeling a bit out of place herself in Tina's red cocktail dress. The way it hugged every inch of her body, and held up her chest like she was trying to make a self, made her feel a bit strange next to the blonde.

He was very handsome, with dark eyes, and white eyebrows. His voice was thick though and slow or rather deliberate like honey. She liked it. She never fell for a guy, not until he proved he could make a sentence or two without stuttering.

"Sorry if I seem a little forward, but would you mind if I order for you-" He started, "Your new to this restraunt right?"

"Yes." She answered as she coyly passed the menu. He smiled and ordered two of something starting in F, she didn't catch the rest. Something was oddly familiar about him, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Soo-"He began again, "Let me guess. You're a model?"

"Was." She answered with a wave of her hand, "Keep guessing."

"Actress-"

"Not yet." She sighed, as she began to trace a finger around the glass, as she blew across the water.

"Artist." He started again, as he leaned back in the chiar, 'Or no, author."

"Not even close." She answered as she shook her head. He smiled, as she found his hand touching hers. He pulled it up to his face, as he traced the lines on the underside of her palm. He muttered something under his breath.

"I learned palm reading from an old gyspy woman-"He began, as he blew quietly. She had to stifle her giggles, as she bit her lip. He held her hand, as he lightly traced over the lines again humming to himself.

"So this line, he pointed to the third one, is your fate, what the future holds. The way it curves tell what trouble you will have in your life-" He stared at it, "Romantic ones."

'Romantic-" She stared at him, as he gave her the most serious look, she nodded and he continued.

"The second line-means about family and life-you will have an interesting life. You are very well off, but you push yourself very hard and you act like nothing bothers you. The weight of your-extra family makes you very worried. They mean much to you." He moved to the last line.

"This line, is often the luck line, but is meant to show where you'll end up." He read it for a moment, 'You see that mark, the little line coming off to the side-"

She nodded, as he smiled, "It means that there is room for second chances with people. That what things seem is not always true."

"Your very mysterious. I don't even know your name." kagame murmured as the waiter came with her food.

"if you'll excuse me." The blonde smiled as he left the table. If she would excuse him? He was the one who sat down with her. She ate her food quietly, as she stared at her softly vibrating phone. She kept getting more messages, but she simply slipped it into her bag and tried to enjoy being with herself.

She wondered if he worked here, or if-if what he just appeared out of no where and wondered if she would hop on him like a cheap hooker. No, no, she was being jaded again. He was a handsome young man, a chef, and very good looking.

She glanced at her plate as she sucked down the rest of her water, and waved the waiter for her bill. He nodded as he turned coming back, instead with a small note.

She thanked him grabbing her bag, and white coat, as she buttoned up the front, and headed out into the dreary night. She slipped the note in front, as she quietly opened it, while she waited for the next cab to pull up with her hand raised in the air.

_Dear Kagame, _

_I hope you enjoyed my dish. I've changed since we last met. I hope you will come again to Period. _

_Hoytt _

She had crumpled the note, and then later fished it out in when the evening was almost over.

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ah hoytt. Joys. So many more of these to come, while I work on host. So go check that out and keep enjoying these.


	42. Deleted Scene: What's Going On?

More deleted scenes from puppy, this one is Mori centric, leading up to where he and Haruhi chase mikan. I decided to give more detail on that tidbit, since I skipped over it during the last few chapters.

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What's going On?

Mori was never one for speaking. And he liked it that way, and most people accepted him that way. Even his own family didn't try to make him talk, and he was almost sure he had lost the ability to speak.

Well, except maybe to Honey, we're he would give a few sentences, but Honey didn't need him to speak, he only needed him as a companion, a very good companion.

He wasn't sure what changed, when Mikan came. She was different, and he would have noticed her even if Tamaki hadn't taken a sudden interest in her. That pink hair made her stand out even if all the other girls were just as wild.

He didn't like her at first either, the way she was always loud, helpless, and waving her arms and trying to escape any attention. She was so light it was easy to just fling her over his shoulder and keep walking, that was fun.

The first day in the host club, when he lifted her from the twins grasp it was like plucking a grape off the vine. She could have just hung there for hours.

It was more fun than he liked to admit, when they played in the snow or she refused to come, he had started to secretly hope she only become more stubborn.

Most girls who used him as a host, were very shy, but very sweet. Mikan was so in your face, it was scary to a certain degree, but he could still win by simply hauling her away. She only laughed like a mad woman, and it made more sense when she told them she praticed ballet.

She was used to be lifted, flung and dragged like a doll, it was part of her role.

Practiced wasn't the correct word, she was devoted to it, like he was devoted to Karate and his sword, they were her life.

He liked that to.

"Mori-would you like to come listen to me play?" Momo asked him one day. He enjoyed listening to her play the violin, after he had accidentally walked into where he thought was the still empty third music room.

He liked Momo to, because she talked about Mikan when she visited him or between working on her new music sheets.

All the girls talked about the 'puppy', but Momo talked about Mikan. He liked to hear what she was doing, what her crazy family was up to, what she was practicing and what she was doing that weekend that kept her from doing normal things like shopping or grabbing a bite to eat.

"You know Mori, you should talk more-" Momo commented one day, as the sun shone brightly in from the window. The brief hour they shared in private, away from the craziness of the host club or the peering eyes of the princesses. It was rather peaceful there. It was a few days before Mikan's accident where she became very sick.

He had thought about talking, saying hi to Mikan in the halls. He wanted to mustered the courage to utter the syllable. Before it had simply been about him simply being comfortable in his silence, it was his thing, but now- around her-it was like all he knew was how to be silent.

He could only ever be silent around her. He remembered briefly that he may have made a fool out of them both, when he drank more than he should at their-what could have called it-feeling sorry for ourselves pity parade party. It had been fun and Kagame had been Kagame, which meant she was nuts.

He was sure he had said things, but maybe nothing that left an impression. And then everything had returned to the normal. He avoided seeing her in the halls, Honey was okay with walking longer with him to see more of their costumers. He saw her at club, but he didn't say anything' still. He was always so close, but everyone-everyone was watching him then.

They would have made a big deal, so he kept silent.

Then New York.

Oh New York had been a trip, and when Kyoya had said those words , "Mikan isn't coming back." Well he had flipped.

He had silently flipped, but he was sure someone was sure to discover that hole in the wall he left in his room. He had planned it all out, he was going to stay and make sure Mikan came home. He couldn't let her go now, the club needed her-he told himself over and over.

Besides he had never been able to even manage to say hello to her, he needed to that, he told himself as well.

So when the limo came, he was sure to make Honey notice that he had forgotten his beloved pink bunny, that he had hid before they packed their bags. Kyoya allowed him to simply hail a cab to meet them at the airport, and then Haruhi stayed with him.

She had apparently left her passport as well.

Mori ushered her up the stair and to their pent house. He shoved the passports in his pockets, he had stolen those from Kyoya's pack as well. No he hadn't stolen them. They had been out in the open in Kyoya's room, it was only understandable if they went missing.

He found Honey's bunny quickly with ease, and tugged Haruhi back out into the street. She was half delirious from the cough medicine, the twins told her to take, wobbly steps, as he helped to support her. She was now in this with him.

Then a cab pulled up before he could hail one, the cab driver took one look at the two of them, and gestured for them to climb in.

He spoke in a heavy American accent, "I've got orders, to take you to Julliard." And then he blasted the cab out into the street like they were running from the police. They took corners with the back tires burning rubber, and their driver was haunched over like he was going to die.

Mori sat silently, they were going to find Mikan. He though the search was going to take longer, but this was a sign. He had never done much as far as Shintoism was concerned, but if the kami were pushing him to her, he didn't think he had much room to complain.

The cab stopped short, and the driver came around to the side, throwing them out onto the curb and pointed widly to the left, before hopping back in his cab and yelling, "Follow the road to Julliard."

Mori stood up slowly, handed Honey's Pink bunny to Haruhi, and then hauled her onto his back, where she stayed like rag dolls who's stitching was coming undone. The past ports were safe in his pocket, and he set out in a sprint. People moved out their way, as if not to get run over by the strange re lay pair.

"Mori-' Haruhi murmured, "Stop bouncing me so much-"

He would have said were almost there, but he simply shifted her weight, and came to a short stop when the big shining building appeared in their midst. It was like a glittering silver arrow, and he hauled her up again, and walked up to the main doors.

That presented a whole new problem. How was he supposed to explain that they were looking for a student. Haruhi was barely standing up and he was no good with words. He put her slowly in a nearby chair in the front lobby, and scanned the walls.

He spotted a photograph, it was dated almost four years ago, but the title read fire bird in a shiny plague. He yanked it off the wall and jogged over to the receptionist on duty.

He slammed the picture on the desk, as he grabbed a nearby pen and piece of paper and drew first and arrow pointing to the dancer.

The girl nodded, and then waited as he drew a question mark.

She nodded again, "Your looking for Mikan Tanaka then?"

He nodded again.

"We heard all about you. 'She grinned, as she pointed up the stairs, "Last door on the right. She's in the middle of teaching a class, but don't let that stop you."

He nodded again, as he turned, re picked up Haruhi, who slammed against his back, and he took the stairs two by two. A few girls whispered as he passed by, something about if he was the new lift instructor. He ignored them as he set off in a full sprint to the last door.

He slammed open the door without a moments notice, as there was resounding gasp. Mikan stood in her normal ballet gear, and he tried not to stare to hard. Jin he noticed was smiling at him, arms crossed.

Mikan was searching for words as she cleared the room of her class, and Mori waited until he heard the doors close again. It was now or never, as he clenched and unclenched his head.

He took a final deep breath, he could do this.

"Puppy."

The word lingered in the air, and echoed around the mostly empty room, as Mikan seemed to be taken back. It was look of total shock, as she slowly recovered. Damnit, he had a whole list of things he could have said, and he calls her puppy.

He kicked himself, but the moment was lost, as Haruhi launched into how just they came to be there, well a bit less detailed version. Then the rest of the host club came, and it forced him to wait even longer.

Then they were alone again, when Mikan sent everybody from the room with a stubborn wave of her hand. She really had made her mind up to stay. He couldn't-wouldn't let her though, he had just worked up enough courage to even utter a word to her-she had to come back now.

She tried to make him leave.

It was rather cute how she pushed on him, but he was boulder and she was bunny trying to break him into little pieces, by thumping her tail against him.

He smiled. He didn't need to say anything else, to tell her what he thought or how he felt, as he lifted her up and over his shoulder in one fluid movement. She yanked and tried to get away, but it was no use.

She could have easily made him drop her, but he knew, like all those others times they had done this routine, she didn't really want him to.

Kyoya told her things, demanded for their passports back from him, as they walked out into the sunshine, but Mori had stop listening. The puppy was coming home.

Mikan was coming back. He set her back down on the ground, and as they drove off to the airport, he hoped for once that maybe he would manage a sentence to her. It shouldn't be that hard, it would be a very short sentence. Just something to let her know how he really felt-

"Thank you Takashi." Honey hugged his arm, as he held the pink bunny on the other. Mori gave a sharp nod of his head, as he slowly became lost again in his own thoughts again, but he wasn't going to be silent around her, not any more. He had to let her know, how he wasn't sure, but he would find a way.

To let her know what was going on his head….

And his heart.

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So it was restrospective from most of the story, but i fig it was the best way to lead up. I love when I get to write mori. So many more of these to come, while I work on host. So go check that out and keep enjoying these, I am working on host by the way, but its nice to have a break in between those heavy chapters and add more to this story. Also I fig it gives me more room to develop come Host.


	43. Deleted Scene: Coffee Club

More deleted scenes from puppy. I decided to do a chapter abotu Nastasumi. For those who forgot, that's Mikan's mother, and her interaction with people, her problems and her past.

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Nastasumi Tanaka had never been with what she called her girl friends. She had those wild women her made up her life when she lived in New york, and there was the trio of ladies in town when they had lived on the farm, she had never called them her girlfriends.

They were ladies she simply happen to hang out with, get drunk with, and have petty fights and good gossip. They weren't exactly there when she needed them, she was always just on the outside.

She didn't mind it, because her mother had taught her well. How to get along with only yourself and how to look the part of the socialite, the woman everyone wanted to be around. Oh yes, her mother had trained her well, except on how to get them to let her in. They liked her for her parties or when she would suggest a good place to eat, but-she always felt she was skimming the surface.

Then she got famous, she had more money than she knew what to do with, and she could afford her dream house, to board her horses and run a small fee for everybody else.

That's when she got serious girlfriends. The first was her, well she would call her bestfriend in a heart beat, the twins mother, Yuzhua. A most complicated woman, who when she wasn't calling her up to get first dibs on creating her next oufit so she get the free turn to show off her newest themed inspiration, was worrying about her sons.

The twins, from what Natasumi understood, governed themselves and always haved, though she highly doubted that Yuzhua had been much of the motherly figure. Her own mother had never been there when she was in the cradle.

"You need to have this hemmed." She clucked her tounge tugging on her black pant leg.

"Hem this. Hem that." Natasumi mimicked, "I'm surprised you haven't had your fingers replaced with a needle and thread."

"Trust me I would if the operation was particle." She shrugged as she ran a hand through her short cropped hair, picking up her double decaf coffee with so much cream it might as well have been milk.

"I don't understand your appeal of fashion." Tahna stirred her own glass slowly. She was the sho and jun's teacher. Natasumi originally taken pity on the woman since her sons must have driven around the bend, but she had a rod of steel that made them heel.

She was a very sensible woman, having come to Japan in order to fulfill her dream of teaching students. She apparently, as far as Natasumi was concerned, had been part of some Russian intelligence group, and was now in retirement.

It was like something out of her books, actually it wasn't a half bad plot as she pulled out the pad and took down a few notes.

"It was something I was born with.' Yuzhua dramtically raised a hand to the air, "Besides Azami completely see's my point."

Azami, the last member of their tight circle. Natasumi knew all about her, she had been Mrs. Ootori for a long time, before she left her husband and adopted her original surname.

She had long jet-black hair that she kept pulled back with invisible weave, often times very ornate chopsticks or a band. She often wore tight, form fitting clothes, they were dark in color, but not ugly. Yuzhua loved her fashion calling somewhere stuck between the traditional and modern.

Natasumi liked her as well. She was soft spoken, but most of her gestures were through her cool gaze of her eyes. She wondered if it was were Kyoya picked up the skill, from her daughter's stories, she had never seen the 'shadow lord' in action.

Together they made the coffee club and each week it was something different, something smothered in drama and gossip. This week, she wasn't really sure what it was this week. Yuzhua was usually the one with news.

"So, tell us Natasumi-did you finally an editor that will that you drive them into the ground?' Azami asked coolly, interrupting some thrilling tale about the wrong fabric five minutes before the show.

Natasumi did not have a good history with her editors as she shrugged, "I've been my own editor, but my agent swears she's found a man that can rival me-"

"Oh rival." Tahna nudged her in the side, as she shifted her legs and tore of another piece of her pastry, "Do tell. Is he handsome? Good family?"

"is he married?" Azami pushed as she blew across her own mug of black coffee.

"Oh an affair." Yuzhua nodded as Natasumi rolled her eyes.

"I have no idea." She answered as she sipped her own glass of herbal tea, as she dumped another sugar packet in, "But she did send a photo-" she pulled out the snap shot. It was a horrible photograph, half blurred.

"She said, he sent it with his resume when he heard she had been looking for someone to fill the last editor's place." Natasumi sipped at the tea again, "I know he has brown hair and is English-"

'Wasn't your last husband English?" Azami sipped quietly as Natasumi shook her head no.

"He was American as they come." She answered, as she took another gulp, "Perhaps my mother will approve of an Englishman more."

"Mother's never approve." Azami said almost bitterly, as she took another sip of her mug, clenching it with her well polished nails, "But enough about this mystery man-tell us about your new project."

"Well I was hoping to do something I started a long time ago with my first husband. A fantasy novel, again, but I'm trying to make it more adult-" She waved her hand.

"He pressed her throbbing chest to his glistening abs-" Yuzhua began, as she made hard gasping sounds, "As she moaned from the swollen-"

"No." Natasumi cut her short as Tahna suddenly began to laugh, shaking their table.

"That is very funny." She took another sip as Natasumi glared.

"No-no' She tried to stop them, but it stuck and she had to wait for the conversation switched again before she managed to explain what she had meant by adult. In the end it didn't stick and they grew bored switching again to what Azami was doing these days.

"Sponsoring small independent shops." She shrugged, "It is nothing much, but I'm hoping to create a small chain of them, with their owners pledging loyalty to me and then developing certain areas."

She was a real estate woman at heart, and it was always some new plan to develop an area. She always made way for the independents, the one she liked the most and most blossomed under her excellent business sense.

Azami, was perhaps the one Natasumi could confide in the most about her personal life. They both knew what it meant to loose it all, to be left heartbroken, and have to sacrifice everything to get it all back. She never tells the other two that, she liked the comfortable setting their group had.

"Well ladies-" Tahna stood up as she grabbed her purse, "I have exactly 40 papers to grade before Monday, so I will see you again next week."

"I have a meeting at five." Yuzhua stood up next, as she grabbed the rest of her coffee, "Choi!"

"Bye." Natasumi waved until it was just her and Azami. They sat in the silence, before Azami began again.

"So you like my idea?" She asked.

"Yeah. I like it." Natasumi shrugged, "I'm not one for real estate."

"Not many people are.' She answered, "It will be nice. How is your daughter doing? Mikan?"

"She's well." Natasumi answered as she sighed, "Hair ripping fustrating sometimes."

"Ah. I know the feeling." Azami answered, "My daughter calls me all the time, mom we had another fight, do I cave first? Its hard giving her advice, when I don't have the best history."

"How long has she been married?"

"A year." Azami shrugged, 'It was an excellent match. She is very happy, but my daughter was the most clever. My sons-blood thirsty sharks-but I don't hear from them."

"Trust me. No news is good news." Natasumi answered as she stared at her tea, 'How is Kyoya?"

"He is-difficult. We still meet for lunch, but his father has pushed him farther. It is all about honor, which I understand, but it makes me sick sometimes." Azami answered as she leaned back." He is becoming a much better person than he was in middle school."

"I know. Kagame-drives me mad." Natasumi shook her head, "I think she's found a boy though."

"That is good. What is his name?" Azami asked as she crushed her empty cup.

"She won't tell me, but she's raised the bill by making six international calls a day to New York City. Some restraunt called Period."

"Is it serious?" Azami cocked her head to the right.

"Kagame-its hard to tell, but she's never called a boy this many times." She answered, as she traced the design on the table.

"Ah." Azami smiled, as she glanced at her watch, "I must be going as well, see you on Wednesday for lunch?"

"Yes.' Natasumi nodded, as she grabbed her own bag, 'Until then. Time to survive another week."

"We can do it. I have a feeling it will be Sunday again very soon." Azami answered as she set off down the block. Natasumi hoped she was right, she liked when time passed quickly, when she had a break from her life, when she could confide in somebody.

* * *

so I took some liberties, since we never see Kyoya's parents except his father, so I figured his wife divorced him early on. Creative liberties.


End file.
